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

A Kano State-based cleric, Sheikh Abduljabbar Kabara, has prayed the presiding judge, Malam Ibrahim Sarki-Yola of a Kano Upper Shari’a Court to transfer his ongoing trial of alleged blasphemy before the court to another judge.

It will be recalled that the Kano State Government charged Kabara with four counts bordering on blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on August 10, October 25 and December 20, 2019.

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

The cleric (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.

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

He disclosed that “in my defence, my former lawyers forced me not to explain all I have on my mind to defend myself well and tender all the books I have as exhibit.”

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Sheikh Kabara further disclosed: “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.”

He noted that these considerations informed his decision to seek a transfer to another court.

In his reaction, the Prosecution Counsel, Suraj Sa’eda, SAN, urged the court to order the defense’s counsel to appear before the court at the next adjourned date.

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

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

He therefore adjourned the matter till July 28 for continuation of defense.