Sharia court to rule on blasphemy case against Kano cleric September 2
An Upper Shari’a Court sitting in Kano has fixed September 2 for the ruling in the application for re-arraignment of a cleric, Abduljabbar Nasiru-Kabara, for alleged blasphemy.
After listening to arguments by the counsel on whether a new charge should be read to Mr Nasiru-Kabara or not, the presiding judge, Ibrahim Sarki-Yola, fixed September 2 for the ruling.
Mr Sarki-Yola ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional centre pending a ruling.
Mr Nasiru-Kabara was first arraigned before the court on July 16.
He was charged with blasphemy, incitement, and sundry offence according to the First Information Report (FIR) from the police by the Office of the Attorney General which prepared the charge against the cleric.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
At the resumed sitting, the prosecution counsel, Suraj Sa’eda, SAN, urged the court to terminate the first FIR and asked that a new charge by the state government dated August 13 be read.
Mr Sa’eda said that a charge must be read and a plea taken before any other objection according to section 390(2) of Kano State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2019.
Counsel to the defendant, Saleh Muhammad-Bakaro, told the court that the four SANs for the prosecution representing the Attorney-General of Kano State have no jurisdiction to appear before the court.
“Senior Advocates of Nigeria have no jurisdiction to appear before an Upper Shari’a court.
“Section 3, 4,5, and 6(3) privileges and functions rules legal rights of SAN,” he said.
Mr Muhammad-Bakaro also prayed the court not to allow a fresh charge to be read to the defendant.
Under Islamic law, he said, a charge cannot be changed after a suspect has been arraigned according to sections 2, 108 and 126(a) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2019.
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
Showbiz
Police begin manhunt for ‘Home and Away’ star Orpheus Pledger
The 30-year-old actor had been arrested on March 25 after allegedly assaulting a woman but was granted bail on Monday.
Rights
EFCC is lawless, dishonourable federal agency; I’m not fugitive: Yahaya Bello
The embattled ex-Kogi governor said he was not a fugitive and claimed the EFCC did not invite him for interrogation over any alleged financial infractions.
Sport
Police arrest Premier League players for rape
They were arrested in front of their club’s stadium over the weekend but have since been released on bail after being interviewed by the police.
States
Court remands man for allegedly defiling a minor
The judge directed the prosecutor to forward the case file to the state DPP for legal advice.
Heading 2
Human Rights Watch urges UK to cancel ‘cruel’ deportation agreement with Rwanda
“The fight is not over,” said the rights organisation. “Legal challenges are expected against individual removals and the law itself.”