The matter was presided over by Justice Ibrahim Sarki Yola.
A defendant, Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara, who is standing trial for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has accused his counsel, Barrister Dalhatu Shehu, of collecting a N2 million bribe to secure his bail.
At the resumed hearing before a Kano Shari’a high court sitting at Kofar Kudu in Kano, Abduljabbar said, “Sometime, Dalhatu met me that the judge told him that if not of two people, he would have released me – my relative, Kabiru and chief judge.
“He told me that if I can give out N2m, he (the judge) will release me. After I gave the money and I was not released, I demanded the return of my money but he told me to be patient till date.”
The matter was presided over by Justice Ibrahim Sarki Yola.
The Kano State Government charged Abduljabbar with four counts bordering on making blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad on August 10, October 25 and December 20, 2019.
According to Nigeria Lawyer, Abduljabbar said he deemed it necessary to expose the alleged bribe because the lawyer failed to fulfil his promise.
“I gave the money to secure my release but not as a bribe. For me to give a bribe it’s better they hang me,” he added.
Abduljabbar told the court that his lawyer told him that he gave the judge N1.3 million, N200,000 to someone else and that he (the counsel) pocketed N300,000.
However, the judge denied collecting the money, adding that since the time he ordered the counsel to stand in for Abduljabbar, he never spoke to him.
Speaking to Daily Trust, the counsel also denied the allegation.
He said, “It’s a lie. He is used to this as he has done to his previous lawyers. Among them, he once accused someone of cheating with his wife.”
Shehu, therefore, dissociated himself from standing for Abduljabbar again in court.
“That is why even today, I did not attend the court session. I have visited all the courts and tendered my withdrawal notice and will file a case seeking my rights on this,” he added.
In July, Dalhatu reportedly walked out on the trial judge.
Daily Trust reports that the defence counsel on June 23, prayed the court to discharge his client on the grounds that the entire charge slammed against him was not based on law.
At the resumed trial, Shehu-Usman prayed the court to allow the defendant to move a no-case submission, saying no prima facie case was established against his client.
But the defence counsel opposed the cross-examination made by the prosecution team and threatened to walk out of the court.
“Why will the prosecution be asking the defendant when his father died? It is not contained in the charge,” he said.
The judge had permitted the prosecution to go ahead with cross-examination and the defence counsel picked up his belongings and walked out of the court.
Shehu-Usman also requested a copy of the proceedings, adding that he will challenge the ruling before an upper court.
Subsequently, the court adjourned the case to July 21, 2022, for the continuation of defence.
The Upper Sharia Court in Kofar Kudu, Kano State in September 2021 ordered Abduljabbar to undergo mental and hearing checks.
This followed his refusal to respond to all the new charges filed against him by the state government.
Sheikh Abduljabbar had suddenly gone quiet after the court approved the inclusion of fresh charges filed by the Kano State government, which his lawyers had objected to.