Drama in court as client accuses his lawyer of taking N2m bribe in Kano

A Kano cleric, Abduljabar Kabara, charged with alleged blasphemy on Thursday accused his lawyer, Dalhatu Shehu-Usman, of allegedly collecting N2 million to bribe the presiding judge of an Upper Shari’a Court Kano in his ongoing trial.

The defendant is charged with four counts bordering on blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on August 10, October 25 and December 20, 2019.

At the resumed sitting, the defence counsel, Shehu-Usman, represented by Mr Muhammad Lawan,  in his prayer urged the court to allow the defendant to adopt his final written addresses himself.

The defendant, in adopting his final written addresses dated and filed Sept. 20, urged the court to dismiss the case filed by the Kano State Government against him and order the state government to apologies to him.

“I urge the court to adopt the written addresses as my argument in this case as evidence and my audio preaching.

“My lawyer came to the prison and told me that the judge ordered him to collect  N2 million to discharge and acquit him.

“My lawyer told me he gave the judge N1.3 million, another person N200,000, and he himself took N500,000,” he said.

The Prosecution Counsel,  Mr Mamman Lawan-Yusufari, SAN, in his final written addresses dated and filed September 22, urged the court to convict the defendant according to law and adopt their addresses as evidence against the defendant.

The presiding judge, Malam Ibrahim Sarki-Yola, denied the allegation of receiving any bribe.

He said that the judgment date would later be communicated to both parties.

The defendant was alleged to have made a blasphemous comment against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in his marriage with Nana Safiyya in Jautul Fara, Section 93 (40) and hadith 1,365 and 1,428. Sahih-Bukhari and Muslim.

Speaking to newsmen after the court sitting, Shehu-Usman denied the allegation of receiving  bribe.

“I am not surprised. My client has also made some allegations against his other three sets of lawyers before,” Shehu-Usman said.