Drama unfolds as a Sharia court condemns a Kano imam to death for blasphemy.

The judge also ordered the confiscation of all 189 books used by the clergyman to defend himself in court.

The cleric was tried and sentenced to death for his blasphemous statements against Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Abduljabbar, a 52-year-old Islamic cleric and prominent scholar of the Qadiriyya Islamic sect in Kano is one of the sons of the Late Sheikh Nasiru Kabara, a former leader of the Qadiriyya sect of West Africa.

Abduljabbar was charged and arraigned by the Kano State government with blasphemy, incitement, and sundry offences on July 16, 2021.

His offences were said to be in contravention of Sections 382, 375 of Kano Sharia Penal Code Law.

Meanwhile, the state government had insisted that Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje would sign Abduljabbar’s death warrant once his fate is decided at the court.

Following the judgement, Kano State Commissioner for Justice/ Attorney-General, Lawan Musa affirmed this state government’s position, saying Governor Ganduje has not changed his mind.

However, by law, the convict has the right to appeal up to the Supreme Court, but the right must be exercised within 30 days of the judgment at the state High Court.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Ibrahim Sarkin Yola, held that the prosecutor had convinced the court that Abduljabbar deliberately interpreted the religious books and fabricated blasphemous comments against the Holy Prophet Muhammad, Daily Trust reports.

The court said following a psychiatric certification, it was satisfied that Abduljabbar is medically okay.

The court added that despite the cleric’s insistence to represent himself, a lawyer was provided for him because of the gravity of the allegations against him.

According to Daily Trust, the Justice further held that witnesses, who testified against the cleric, narrated how he, on August 10, 2019, made blasphemous comments against the Holy Prophet Muhammad at two different religious gatherings in his mosque within Kano’s metropolis, but Abduljabbar objected, saying their testimonies were based on differences in the understanding of Islam.

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The judge also said the court relied on an audio recording, admitted to by the cleric, where he was making the blasphemous comments.

“The court admitted that the comments were made at a gathering at the cleric’s mosque at ‘Gwale Filin Mushe’ while addressing his followers who hailed him as he made the comments. The court, after citing several references, agreed that those comments by the cleric were admitted by the court as blasphemous comments against the Holy Prophet Muhammad,” the judge ruled.

After the judge found Abduljabbar guilty of the allegations against him, the cleric asked for allocutus, an opportunity to let him say something before the judge pronounces his judgement.

Earlier, Aminu Ado Abubakar, had prayed to the court to accord leniency to the convict, arguing that what he did was out of ignorance.

But in his allocutus, the convict disowned his lawyer, saying that it was the first time he was seeing him.

“I don’t know him. This is the first time I’m seeing him. He should not be allowed to speak on my behalf. I can and should be allowed to speak for myself,” Abduljabbar said.

But the judge said the lawyer was recognised by the court as his defence counsel.

Continuing, Abduljabbar said, “After I heard how you twisted all my evidence, you turned all my submissions upside down, you’ve assigned words to me that I’ve never uttered.

“Deliver your judgement, and I’m not asking for leniency at all. I want all my followers to know that I’ll die a hero and I don’t want you (the judge) to do me any favour or grant me leniency. This is my last word. Assalamu Alaikum.”

After returning from a 20-minute recess, the judge sentenced the cleric to death by hanging.

The judge also ordered the government of Kano State to seize the two mosques belonging to the cleric; while also calling on the media to desist from using any of his teachings and pictures.

The judge also ordered the seizure of all 189 books the cleric used in the court to defend himself.

However, the cleric has 30 days to appeal the judgement against him.

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