Court Overturns Death Sentence On Kano Singer

The death sentence imposed on Sharif Yahaya Aminu, the Kano-based singer who was convicted for blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has been set aside on Thursday by a Kano State High Court (appeal division).

According to the state's chief judge, Nuraddeen Sagir, the trial was full of irregularities as the appellant was not given legal representation.

Sagir maintained that the judgement of the upper Sharia court contravened section 2-6-9 of the administration of the criminal justice act.

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He ordered that the case be re-tried at the same court and that the appellant should be given a fair hearing and legal representation under another judge.

AllNews had earlier reported that the 22-year-old singer was sentenced to death by hanging on August 10, 2020, by an upper Sharia court in the state after he was found guilty of committing blasphemy in a song he circulated via WhatsApp in March.

He, however, filed an appeal at the Kano state high court in September.

Even though the court's verdict was met with several outcries from Nigerians who called for the release of the singer, Ganduje, at a gathering of religious leaders, legal practitioners, security personnel and government officials at the government house Kano, said he would waste no time in signing the warrant.

Also, leader of the proscribed terrorist group Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, condemned the death sentence verdict.