Reprieve for Kano singer sentenced to death for blasphemy, as Appeal Court orders retrial

Temporary reprieve has come the way of a singer, Aminu Yahaya-Shari, who was earlier sentenced to death by a Shariah Court in Kano for alleged blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed.

This is as the Court of Appeal sitting in the state on Wednesday ordered for a retrial of the death sentence passed against the singer.

Court orders retrial of Kano singer sentenced to death for blasphemy

Yahaya-Sharif, a resident of Sharifai in the Kano metropolis, was accused and put on trial in March 2020, for the offensive song which was shared on WhatsApp.

The song inspired violence against the family members of the musician who fled the area while his family house was set ablaze by protesting youth.

Read also:Court sets aside death sentence on Kano singer over blasphemy

He was sentenced to death in August 2020 by Judge Aliyu Kanu of the Kano Upper Shari’a Court based on Section 382 (b) of the Kano penal code of 2000.

However, the appellate division of the High Court of Kano State on 21 January 2021, dismissed the death sentence and ordered a retrial by the same shariah court.

Chief Judge of Kano State, Nuraddeen Umar and Nasiru Saminu, said the Sharia Court’s trial was fraught with irregularities.

Mr Yahaya-Sharif, however, instituted an appeal against the judgment of the High Court as he argued that the High Court was wrong to have ordered a retrial.

He noted that the court was supposed to have discharged and acquitted him.

Joined as respondents in the suits were the Attorney General Of Kano State, Musa Lawan and the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje.

The Court of Appeal session, which was held via Zoom, ruled in favour of the defendants, upholding the initial judgement of the Kano High Court which ordered the retrial of the case in the Shariah Court.

The appeal panel was composed of three judges, two of whom supported the respondents while one objected.

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