The Kano State High Court (Appeal Division) hearing the case of a singer, Yahya Sharif Aminu alleged to have blasphemed against the Prophet of Islam has been set aside and ordered for re-trial.
The presiding judges, Justice Nuradeen Sagirm who is the state Chief Judge and his co-penalist, Justice Nasiru Saminu, gave the directive while delivering judgement.
They said the first trial was full of irregularities as the appellant was not given legal representation.
According to them, the judgement by an Upper Sharia Court, Hausawa Filin Hockey contravened section 2-6-9 of the ACJN and that was a nullity.
The presiding judges ordered that the case be re-tryed at the same court but that the appellant should be given fair hearing and should be fully represented.
They also ordered that the appellant should be tried by another judge.
Recall that Yahya Aminu Sharif was sentenced to death by hanging by an Upper Sharia Court Hausawa Filin Hockey on August 10, 2020.
His lawyers filed an appeal at the state Appeal Court on 15 October 2020 challenging the death penalty on him.
Similarly, the appeal filed by Abdul Umar Faruk on alleged derogatory remarks on the Prophet of Islam has been set aside by the court in view of the fact that the person in question is a minor.
Security was beefed up at the court in view of the sensitive nature of the case.
