A Kano Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting at Gidan Murtala and presided over by Hauwa Minjibir on Tuesday sent a lawyer, Hashim Hussein Hashim, to correctional centre for allegedly abusing the state Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Tahar Adam.
The lawyer had earlier released a series of audio recordings, faulting the Kano State Government for prosecuting a controversial cleric, Abduljabbar Kabara.
The lawyer also argued that the controversial cleric never blasphemed against Prophet Muhammad.
Infuriated by the lawyer’s comments, the Chief Imam of Kantin Kwari Juma’at Mosque, Albakari Mika’il, dragged Mr Hashim to court for allegedly defaming his character and that of the commissioner in a viral clip.
In the video clip, Mr Hashim allegedly described Mr Adam as “wicked”, “silent killer”, among other abusive words.
The lawyer pleaded not guilty of the charges read against him.
Following the intervention of his colleagues who trooped to the court to plead for his freedom, Mr Hashim was granted bail on the condition that he would not release any recording related to the matter.
However, after bail, the lawyer breached the condition by recording another video, boasting that he was “untouchable” and “invincible”.
He said Mr Adam should not have been entrusted and appointed as commissioner by the state governor.
At the resumption of the trial on Tuesday, counsel to the nominal complainant, Lamido Sorondinki, prayed the court to cancel the bail as the defendant breached the bail conditions.
The magistrate then granted the prayer of the counsel of the plaintiff by sending the defendant to Kurmawa Correctional Centre until November 30.
The court adjourned the case to November 30.
“The accused was begging for mercy. He showed remorse and pleading that he would not commit the offence again. This mean that he has indirectly confessed to his offence.
“So, the court sent him to correctional centre until November 30 for continuation of the case,” Mr Sorondinki told journalists after the sitting.
