Blasphemy: Court reserves judgment in appeal against Kano singer’s death sentence

The Kano State High Court (Appeal Division) has reserved judgment in the appeal against the death sentence passed on 30-year-old Kano singer, Sharrif Yahaya by a Shariah Court.

This was just as the court also reserved judgment in the appeal against the 10 years imprisonment passed on 17-year-old Umar Farouq.

It would be recalled that the Kano singer, Sharrif Yahaya and Umar Farouq were convicted having been found guilty and were convicted early this year for committing blasphemy against the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and making a derogatory statement against Almighty Allah respectively.

The duo through their lawyer, Kola Alanipinni, had filed an appeal suit before the Kano State High Court in which it joined the Kano State government and Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kano State and challenging the Shariah Court judgment.

On Thursday, both Alanipinni and counsel to respondents, Aisha Mahmud adopted their briefs filed before the court.

Alapinni appealed to the court to quash the judgment by the Shariah Court and declare it unconstitutional, null and void as the duo have rights to freedom of expression and religion.

Mahmud, however, urged the court to dismiss and discountenance the appeal filed by the appellants.

The panel presided over by the Chief Judge, Justice Nuraddeen Sagir, however, reserved judgment, adding that the date of the judgement will be communicated to both parties.

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