You Have Renounced Islam If You Defend Convicted Kano Singer – Cleric Warns Muslim Lawyers

Abubakar Usman Mabera, chairman of Sokoto state Ulama forum of Izala, has warned Muslim lawyers against defending Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a musician sentenced to death in Kano state.

Naija News reports that Sharif-Aminu who was accused of blasphemy against Islam Prophet Muhammad had appealed the judgement passed on him by a Kano Shari’a Court.

Aminu was sentenced to death on August 10, 2020, with 30 days grace to appeal to the judgment or be hanged till he seized breathe.

However, just six days to the deadline which was supposed to end on Wednesday, September 9, the accused singer said he is dissatisfied with the judgment passed by the Shari’a Court.

Aminu’s decision was revealed in a suit filed on Thursday, September 3 at the Kano State High Court by his lawyer, Kola Alanipini, Naija News understands.

According to him, the Kano State Penal Law 2000 is unconstitutional, describing it as null and void, having grossly violated and conflicted with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended. He noted further that the judgement violated his Human Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights respectively.

Mabera, while speaking in Sokoto at the weekend, said any Muslim lawyer who defends Aminu has renounced Islam.

According to him, blasphemy is a capital offence in Islam of which punishment is death, and that since a competent court has found the singer guilty, he cannot be pardoned.

He asked Muslim lawyers to be careful in defending the convict, adding that “any lawyer who comes out to defend him has renounced his Islamic faith”.

The cleric also asked the Muslim faithful to seek God’s forgiveness because the prevailing setbacks in the country are signs of wrongdoing.

“For all indications, God is not happy with us and we have to repent because he alone is the answer to our woes,” he said.