A cleric, Abduljabbar Nasiru-Kabara, has been sentenced to death by a Kano Upper Shari’a court over blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad.
The Kano State government charged him to court over blasphemy.
The prosecution counsel, Suraj Sa’eda, revealed that the cleric carried out the offence on August 10, October 25, and December 20, 2019.
While passing judgment on Thursday, the presiding judge, Ibrahim Sarki Yola, asked if the cleric had anything to say before he pronounced the judgement.
“I am convinced that the prosecution counsel has done their part and proven their points beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Aminu Abubakar, who’s standing for the cleric persuaded the court for mercy, saying all he did were out of ignorance.
However, the cleric denied knowing the legal practitioner and said the lawyer was not standing for him.
“I don’t know him. This is the first time I am seeing him. He should not be allowed to speak on my behalf. I can and should be allowed to speak for myself,” he said.
He further said: “My lord, after I heard how you twisted all my evidence, you turned around all my submissions upside down, you have assigned words to me that I have never uttered.
“Deliver your judgement, and I am not asking for leniency at all. I want all my followers to know that I will die a hero and I don’t want you (the Judge) Ibrahim Sarki Yola to do me any favour or grant me leniency. This is my last word. Assalamu Alaikum.”
The judge thereafter sentenced him to death by hanging.