The Upper Sharia Court sitting in Hausawa, Kano State of Nigeria convicted a gospel singer of blasphemy and sentenced him to death. The singer had posted audio in a WhatsApp group with statements accusing prophet Muhhamad of bringing “an unforgivable sin to the world”. The Court accepted that the individual had posted the statements in error, but held that the blasphemous statements could not be excused regardless of his plea citing mistake, and that as he was “of sane mind,” he was guilty of the offence.
On appeal, the High Court of Kano State quashed Aminu’s death sentence on the grounds of irregularities in the Sharia Court’s trial and ordered that Aminu be tried afresh by the same court.
The case is currently before the Supreme Court after the individual’s appeal failed to result in a discharge of the case against him and had found that the Sharia Law under which he was convicted was constitutional.