The two suspected killers of Deborah Samuel over alleged blasphemy are
getting top-level legal representation in court A team of 34 lawyers
including a professor appeared in court on Monday, May 16, to defend
the two suspects The lawyers in their numbers could not, however, stop
their clients from being remanded in prison as their application for bail
was not granted.
A team of 34 lawyers appeared in court on Monday, May 16, to defend
two suspects arrested over the killing of Deborah Samuel, a student of
Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto over alleged blasphemy.
The team was led by a professor, Mansur Ibrahim, according to the
Leadership newspaper.
Legit.ng gathers that the suspects were arraigned in court following their
arrest last week over their roles in the gruesome murder of Miss
Deborah.
The young lady was stoned to death and then burnt by a mob over
alleged blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad (SAW) on a WhatsApp
group.
Suspects appear in court, plead not guilty On Monday, the suspects,
Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci, were brought before a Sokoto
magistrates court for their alleged participation in the crime. They
pleaded not guilty when the charges against them were read in court,
BBC Pidgin also reported. The police prosecutor, Inspector Khalil Musa,
told the court that an investigation was in progress on the matter. He
appealed to the court for another date to allow the police to conclude
their investigation. Defence lawyers apply for bail Prof. Ibrahim, who led
the defence team for the suspects, after the presentations did not oppose
the move of the prosecuting lawyer, He however, applied for bail for his
clients on liberal grounds. The trial judge reserved ruling on the bail
application but ordered the accused to be remanded at the Sokoto
Correctional Center. The court, thereafter, adjourned ruling on the
application to a later date which would be communicated to the lawyers.
Meanwhile, the Northern Governors Forum has described the
killing of Deborah as “an extra-judicial measure of addressing perceived
infraction.” The governors also called for calm following the killing which
has sparked outrage across Nigeria. Simon Lalong, chairman of the forum
and governor of Plateau state, said the forum is concerned about the
state of things in Sokoto.
Source: Legit.ng