Kano Upper Sharia Court headed by Ibrahim Sarki Yola received a shocker yesterday when a convicted Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara, told the state government not to delay his execution.
The court had sentenced Kabara to death by hanging for defaming the personality of Prophet Muhammad while preaching at Filin Mushe, Gwale local government area and his mosque, Jamiurrasul, Sharada in Kumbotso local government area of Kano State.
After the court found the cleric guilty as charged, the judge asked Kabara if he had anything to say as regards the mitigation of his sentence.
To the rude shock of the court, he replied: “I’m telling my followers not to despair, I will die with the honour of good men. I pray for quick execution… without any delay.”
The cleric was convicted on a four-count charge of defamation of character against the noble prophet while commenting on Prophet Muhammad Marriage in Hadith Numbers 1,365 and 1, 428 on his marriage to Nana Safiyya.
According to the prosecution, the cleric committed the offence, contrary to sections 382 and 375 of Kano State Sharia Penal Code Law 2000.
The blasphemous statement was recorded and circulated on social media platforms, especially Ashabul Kahfi social media pages.
In his judgement, Yola said the prosecution had discharged the burden of proof against Kabara.
He said the four witnesses called by the prosecution: Adamu Adamu Gwale, Murtala Kabiru Muhammad, Inspector Muhammad Kabir and Professor Ahmad Murtala who successfully linked the charge against Kabara.
The judge maintained that the cleric failed to defend himself
He said, “The court gave him enough time to show the authentic sources of his narrations but failed to prove his assertions. The prosecution has established that the blasphemous words used by Abduljabbar during his commentary were fabricated and not in line with those propounded by Imam Malik and Imam Bukhari.”
The judge also held that section 382 (B) of Kano State Sharia Penal Code 2000 provides that “any person whosoever found using any expression by means of words, gestures, abusing the Holy Prophet Muhammad shall be convicted to death.
”I, Ibrahim Sarki Yola, Upper Sharia Court Judge City Number One, found you Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara committing an act contrary to section 283 (b) of Kano State Sharia Penal Code Law 2000. I therefore sentence you to death by hanging. I similarly order the closure of your mosques located at Filin Mushe, Gwale local government area and Jamiurrasul located at Sharada,” he said.
Similarly, Yola banned the use of the convict’s preaching on all radio stations.
“I ordered for the confiscation of all his 189 books he tendered during the trial before the court and be transferred to Kano State Library,” the judge ruled.
Reacting to the judgement, the Kano State attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Mr Lawan Musa told newsmen that the sentence would be enforced to its logical conclusion
The state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Comrade Abbas Ibrahim and other residents who spoke with LEADERSHIP Friday described the verdict as because it was based on the dictates and provisions of the Quran and Hadith of the Noble Prophet (SAW).
They said the convict has the right to appeal though he had admitted the judgement and called expeditious execution.
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State has repeatedly declared that he would sign any death sentence passed by the court.
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