A Kano Upper Shariah Court has on Thursday sentenced the embattled Islamic cleric Sheikh Abduljabbar Kabara to death by hanging for blasphemy.
Sheikh Kabara, who is the son of the late Nasiru Kabara, a leader of the Qadariyya Islamic Movement in West Africa, was arrested at his home in Kano and arraigned on 16 July 2021, before an Upper Sharia Court at ‘Kofar Kudu’, Emir’s palace.
The Kano State government charged him with blasphemy, incitement, and sundry offenses.
The court presided over by Ibrahim Sarki Yola gave the order while delivering his judgment. He also ordered that the government seize and take over the cleric’s mosques, and forfeiture of 182 books the cleric uses for propagation should be taken to the library for public use. The Judge also warned media houses to cease broadcasting his teachings and ideologies.
Kabara sat quietly throughout the judgment in the courtroom packed with lawyers and journalists with scores of armed police and other paramilitary personnel on guard outside. Kabara objected to his counsel’s plea for leniency and maintained his innocence, calling on his followers to remain calm.
The judge also ordered the state to seize the two mosques of the cleric where he made the comments against the prophet.
The judge said Mr Kabara has up to 30 days to appeal the judgement.
