Blasphemy accused musician's late appeal bid granted

Nigeria's Supreme Court on Thursday granted lawyers representing a musician sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy permission to file an appeal outside the legally prescribed timeframe, reports Market Screener. The case has drawn national and international attention, highlighting tensions between religious law and constitutional rights in Nigeria. Yahaya Sharif-Aminu was convicted in 2020 by a Kano State sharia court for allegedly making blasphemous remarks about the Prophet Mohammad. His legal team argued that the trial was flawed, citing the absence of legal representation during proceedings. Kola Alapinni, Sharif-Aminu's lawyer said: ‘You must remember that he's still innocent, he's not guilty, because the death sentence was quashed about four years ago at the appellate division of the Kano State High Court, and then we've gone all through the stairs of the various courts, and we're here now. He's still appealing, he's still stating his innocence that he's not guilty. He doesn't want to go back to Sharia court for a retrial...’ The defence also challenged the constitutionality of sections of Kano State's sharia, or Islamic law, that prescribe capital punishment and amputation, arguing they conflict with Nigeria's secular Constitution. Lamido Abba Sorondinki, who represents the Kano State Government, defended the original verdict. ‘…this man will be executed if this court affirms the decisions of the law, we will execute him.’