An Upper Shari’a Court sitting in Kano yesterday sentenced a 30-year-old man, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, to death by hanging after his conviction for blasphemy.
The convict, who resides at Sharifai Quarters of Kano Municipal, was dragged before the court by the police on a count charge of inciting religious creed contrary to section 382 (6) of Kano State Sharia Panel Code Law 2000.
The trial judge, Khadi Muhammad Ali-Kani, said the offence was against the Islamic law.
Ali-Kani, thereafter, sentenced the convict to death by hanging under section 382 (b) of Kano State Sharia Panel Code Law 2000. The prosecution counsel, Insp. Aminu Yar-Goje, had earlier told the court that the convict committed the fence on February 28.
Yar-Goje alleged that on the same date at about 8pm and 11:50 pm, the convict, with the intention to hurt the feelings of Muslim faithful, made a blasphemous post via a WhatsApp group platform named, “Gidan Umma Abiha.”
“The convict made blasphemous and degrading audio remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),” he said.
Sharif-Aminu pleaded guilty to the charge.
Meanwhile, the court had also sentenced a 17-year-old man, Umar Faruk, to 10-years imprisonment for alleged derogatory remarks on Allah, during a debate on March 4.
The convict, Faruk, voluntarily pleaded guilty to the charge.
The court also granted 30-day grace to appeal the judgment.