Death for blasphemy: Kano High Court reserves judgment

A Kano State High Court has reserved judgment in an appeal brought by Yahaya Aminu Sharif, a Kano singer sentenced to death by an Upper Shari’a Court for blasphemy.

The court also reserved judgment for bail application and appeal by 13-year-old Omar Faruk sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for complicity in an offense committed by the singer.

The singer was sentenced to death by upper Shari’a court on August 10, 2020.

Counsel for the appellant, Kola Alapinni, told the court that his notice of appeal filed on November 5, 2020, and briefs of argument filed on 14/10/2020 was pursuant to sections 36 and 38 of the constitution.

The appellant counsel adopted all his processes and urged the court to set aside the entire proceedings of the trial court as according to him, Sharia Islamic legal code is unconstitutional, null, and void insisting that Nigeria is a secular and multi-religious country.

Counsel for the respondents, Aisha Mahmud, however, in her briefs, urged the court to dismiss the appeal.

The two-man panel made up of justice Nura Sagir, Chief judge of Kano State, and Justice Nasiru Saminu reserved judgment for a date to be communicated to the parties.

The appellant counsel had earlier informed the court that no lawyer in Kano wished to be associated with the case.