Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a musician sentenced to death for blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad by a Kano Shari’a Court, will not just surrender his neck for the hangman’s noose as he has appealed the judgment.
Sharif-Aminu was sentenced to death on August 10, 2020, and was given 30 days by the court to appeal the judgment, meaning that the time would lapse on Wednesday, September 9.
In a suit filed on Thursday at the Kano State High Court by his lawyer, Kola Alanipini, Sharif-Aminu said he is dissatisfied with the judgment of the Shari’a Court.
He described the Kano State Penal Law 2000 as unconstitutional, null and void, having grossly violated and conflicted with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended and having violated the Human Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights respectively.
Meanwhile, Kano State Judiciary says it has submitted certified copies of the Sharia Court judgment to the Human Right activist, Mr Femi Falana, to enable him to appeal the judgment that sentenced Yahaya Aminu to death by hanging for blasphemy.
The development came less than seven days to the expiration of the 30-day grace the court granted the convict to appeal the judgment.
Spokesman of the judiciary, Babajido Ibrahim, spoke with NAN on Thursday in Kano about the development.
Ibrahim said that certified copies of the judgment were presented to the Falana’s representative on Wednesday in Kano.
He explained that the Kano State Judiciary received an application by the human right activist, requesting details of the Sharia Court judgment, to enable him appeal the judgment.
“The judiciary received a request from Mr Femi Falana’s representative on Tuesday and certified copies of the judgment were made available to him on Wednesday,’’ he said.
It will be recalled that a Sharia Court in Kano on Aug. 10, sentenced the 30-year-old Yahaya Aminu to death by hanging after his conviction of blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, on Aug. 27, indicated his readiness to sign the death warrant, if the convict failed to appeal the judgment at the expiration of the 30-day grace.
Also, Ahmad Magaji, Controller, Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) in Kano State, confirmed that the convict was in custody. (NAN)
