A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting at Gidan Murtala in Kano State and presided over by Hauwa Minjibir, on Tuesday, sent a lawyer, Hashim Hussein Hashim, to a correctional centre for allegedly abusing the state Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Tahar Adam.
This comes after the lawyer released a series of audio recordings in which he allegedly faulted the state government for prosecuting controversial cleric, Abduljabbar Nasiru-Kabara
The lawyer allegedly noted that the controversial cleric never blasphemed against Prophet Muhammad and that there was no justification for his prosecution, Daily Trust reports.
Furious by the lawyer’s comments, the Chief Imam of Kantin Kwari Juma’at Mosque, Albakari Mika’il, dragged Mr Hashim to court for allegedly defaming his character and that of the commissioner in a viral clip.
In the video clip, Mr Hashim allegedly described Mr Adam as “wicked” and as a “silent killer”.
The lawyer pleaded not guilty to the charges read against him.
Following the intervention of his colleagues who trooped to the court to plead for his freedom, Mr Hashim was granted bail on the condition that he would not release any more recording related to the matter.
However, after he was granted bail, the lawyer allegedly breached the condition by recording another video, boasting that he was “untouchable” and “invincible”.
He said Mr Adam should not have been entrusted and appointed as commissioner by the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
At the resumption of the trial on Tuesday, counsel for the complainant, Lamido Sorondinki, prayed the court to revoke the bail, arguing that the defendant had breached the conditions.
The magistrate then granted the prayer of the counsel for the plaintiff by sending the defendant to Kurmawa Correctional Centre until November 30.
The court adjourned the case till November 30.
Sorondinki later told journalists, “The defendant was begging for mercy. Showing remorse and pleading that he would not commit the offence again. This means that he has indirectly confessed to his offence.
“So, the court has sent him to correctional centre until November 30 for continuation of the case.”
Nasiru-Kabara is facing four counts bordering on blasphemy.
The charges were preferred against him by the Kano State government.