Alleged blasphemy: Kano cleric seeks transfer of suit to another judge

A Kano Cleric Sheikh Abduljabbar Kabara, on Thursday, prayed a Kano Upper Shari’a Court to transfer his ongoing trial of alleged blasphemy to another judge.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Kano State Government charged Kabara with four counts bordering on blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on Aug.10, Oct. 25 and Dec. 20, 2019.

When the matter was called, the defence counsel Malam Dalhatu Shehu-Usman was not in court.

The defendant told the court that his counsel was not in court because he has written a letter to Grand Khadi of Kano State to transfer his ongoing trial to another court.

“I want the case to be transferred to another judge who has no relationship to both parties in the case.

”In my defence, my former lawyers forced me not to explain all what I have on my mind to defend myself well and tender all the books I have as exhibit.

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” I also noticed that the court is not writing all what i said but only few in my defense as well as changing some things while testifying before the court was what made me decide my trial to be  transferred to another Court,” the defendant said.

The Prosecution Counsel, Suraj Sa’eda, SAN, urged the court to order the defense counsel to appear before the court in the next adjourned date.

The Presiding Judge, Malam Ibrahim Sarki-Yola, earlier asked the defendant why he wants his ongoing trial to be transferred to another court.

Sarki-Yola urged the defendant to tell his counsel to appear before the court in the next adjourned date, adding that if he wish to get a new counsel he can do so.

“By the next adjourned date if the defence counsel Shehu-Usman does not appear in court, I will remove him from this matter,” Sarki-Yola said.

He adjourned the matter until July 28, for continuation of defense.

NAN reports that on July 7, the defence counsel, Dalhatu Shehu-Usman walked out of the court on the judge.

The defendant was alleged that the defendant made a blasphemous comment against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in his marriage with Nana Safiyya in Jautul Fara, Section 93 (40) and hadith 1,365 and 1,428. Sahih-Bukhari and Muslim.(NAN)