A Kano cleric, Sheikh Abduljabbar Kabara, sentenced to death by hanging for blasphemy, has disengaged his lawyer, Sadiq Yusuf, from continuing his case at the State High Court Division of Appeal.

An Upper Shari’a Court sentenced Mr Abduljabbar to death by hanging for blasphemy on December 15, 2022.

Mr Abduljabbar filed a suit through his counsel, Sadiq Yusuf, challenging the record of proceedings of the lower court (Upper Shari’a).

The appellant is also seeking the court to amend sections 275 and 375 of Kano State Shari’a Penal Code Law 2000, which he was convicted of.

The respondent in the suit is the Kano State government.

When the case came up for hearing on Wednesday, the state counsel, Bashir Saleh, told the court that they were served with a letter dated May 10, signed by the appellant himself, stating that he had disengaged the services of his counsel, Mr Yusuf.

He said, “So, being a constitutional matter, my lord, we cannot proceed with this matter.”

Mr Saleh urged the court to strike out the two appellant’s motions on notice prayers dated February 22 and March 2, 2024, and affidavit of facts challenging the record of proceedings of the lower court.

In his ruling, Justice Nasiru Saminu, said the respondent application was premature and therefore dismissed the application.

He referred the matter to the next appeal session to enable the appellant to secure new counsel.

The appellant committed the offence on August 10, October 25 and December 20, 2019 while conducting his sermons at his two mosques.

The state counsel said that Mr Kabara made a blasphemous comment against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his marriage with Nana Safiyya in hadith 1,365, 1,428, 2,326 and 5,120 Sahih-Bukhari and Muslim and posted it on his Facebook page, Ashabul Kahfi.

The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 382(b) and 375 of Kano State Shari’a Law 2000.