An Upper Shari’a Court sitting in Kano on Thursday adjourned until October 14 the trial of a Kano cleric, Abduljabbar Nasiru-Kabara, charged with blasphemy against the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the plea of Nasiru-Kabara, who is facing four counts bordering on blasphemy, was not taken by the court.
The charges were preferred against him by the Kano State government.
Earlier, the Prosecution counsel, Mr. Suraj Sa’eda SAN, had informed the court that the defendant committed the offence variously on August 10, October 25 and December 20, all in year 2019.
He alleged that the defendant made blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in his marriage with Nana Safiyya in Jautul Fara, Section 93 (40) and Hadith 1,365 and 1,428.
Sa’eda vehemently opposed the defendant’s bail application.
Counsel to the defendant, Mr. Umar Muhammad who appeared for the first time, prayed the court to provide them with records of proceedings to know what next to do.
Muhammad also urged the court to order the prosecution counsel to present their witnesses at the next adjourned date.
He made a bail application pursuant to Section 171(2) and (3) of Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2019.
“The defendant is the breadwinner of his family and also has small children who depend on him. If granted bail, he will not jump bail and will produce credible sureties,” Muhammad said.
The trial judge, Ibrahim Sarki-Yola, refused the bail application by the defence counsel in order to protect the defendant’s life and safety and prevent breakdown of peace in the state.
“The case is a capital offence and punishable with death,” the judge said.
Sarki-Yola ordered the remand of the defendant in correctional centre and adjourned the matter until October 14 for continuation of hearing.
(NAN)
