As Governor Ganduje says he is ready to sign his death warrant
Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a 22 year old Kano singer who was sentenced to death for blasphemy by an Upper Sharia Court in Kano
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), reveals that Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a 22 year old Kano singer who was sentenced to death for blasphemy by an Upper Sharia Court in Kano, has been denied access to lawyers.
Falana noted that he had asked a lawyer to meet with the singer in prison, but was however denied access to him by prision authorities.
“I sent a lawyer to take up the case and meet with him (Sharif-Aminu) but he was denied access,” Falana said.
Sharif-Aminu has a 30-day appeal period which expires on September 9. The Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, had stated that if he fails to appeal the Sharia Court judgement after 30-days, he would not add a minute in siging his execution order.
Sharif-Aminu was accused of committing blasphemy against Prophet Mohammed in a song he circulated via WhatsApp in March 2020.
Anger by the song, youths in Kano burnt down his family house in Kano and asked Sharia Police, Hisbah, to ensure the death of the singer.
He was arrested and then convicted by the Sharia Court for violating Section 382(b) of Kano penal code of 2000.
Many groups and lawyers especially from the southern parts of the country have vehemently condemned the death sentence on the singer.
Amnesty International had stated that the singer was not even given a fair hearing in his trial and conviction.