A Kano cleric, Sheikh Abduljabbar Kabara, who was sentenced to death by hanging for blasphemy, has disengaged his lawyer, Sadiq Yusuf, to discontinue his case at the State High Court Division of Appeal.
NAN reports that an Upper Shari’a Court sentenced Abduljabbar to death by hanging for blasphemy on December 15, 2022.
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.
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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, Yusuf.
“So, being a constitutional matter, my lord, we cannot proceed with this matter.”
Saleh urged the court to strike out the two appellant’s motion on notice prayers dated February 22 and March 2, 2024, affidavit of facts challenging the record of proceedings of the lower court.
In a ruling delivered, Justice Nasiru Saminu said the respondent application was premature and therefore dismissed the application.
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He referred the matter to the next appeal session to enable the applicant to secure a new counsel.
The appellant allegedly committed the offense on Aug. 10, Oct. 25, and Dec. 20, 2019 while conducting his preaching at his two mosques.
The state counsel said that 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 offense, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 382(b) and 375 of Kano State Shari’a Law 2000. (NAN)