Nigeria’s Supreme Court on Thursday granted lawyers representing Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a musician sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy, permission to file an appeal beyond the legally prescribed timeframe.
The case has attracted both national and international attention, underscoring tensions between Nigeria’s constitutional guarantees and religious law.
Sharif-Aminu was convicted in 2020 by a Kano State Sharia court for allegedly making blasphemous remarks about the Prophet Muhammad. His lawyers argue the trial was deeply flawed, pointing out that he had no legal representation during the proceedings.
“We received only a day’s notice before the judgment, which was delivered via Zoom. We needed more time to study it before filing our appeal,” said Sharif-Aminu’s lawyer, Kola Alapinni.
According to him, the Supreme Court not only allowed the late filing but also ordered an accelerated hearing. “We will file the appeal next week,” Alapinni added.
The defence further challenged the constitutionality of Kano State’s Sharia provisions prescribing capital punishment and amputation, arguing they contradict Nigeria’s secular constitution.
But counsel for the Kano State government, Lamido Abba Sorondinki, defended the original verdict.
“This applicant made blasphemous statements against the Holy Prophet, which the government of Kano State will not condone,” he told reporters. “If the Supreme Court upholds the lower court’s decision, we will execute him publicly.”
Source: Reuters
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