Sharia court Judges in N99m fraud reject trial in Islamic Court

By Samuel Ogunsona

A Kano State Magistrate Court has taken a significant step by remanding eight Sharia Court judges and seven others in prison custody.

They were accused of diverting N99 million belonging to orphans.

It’s ironic that the same Sharia Court judges who have handed down strict sentences under Islamic law, often resulting in harsh punishments for many Nigerians, wish to face trial in a regular court, highlighting the unexpected twist in their legal preferences.

The defendants were arraigned before Magistrate Mustapha Sa’ad Datti on charges instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The court ordered the defendants to be kept behind bars pending the next sitting of the court.

This development comes as a surprise, given that the defendants are Sharia Court judges, and their trial is being conducted in a regular court rather than a Sharia Court.

Sahara Reporters report that the defendants include Gazzali Wada, Yusuf Abdullahi, Sani Ali, Bashir Baffa, Sani Uba Ali, Hadi Tijjani Mu’azu, Mustafah Bala, and Alkasim Abdullahi, among others. They were accused of diverting N99 million meant for orphans in Kano State.

The Sharia system has been a contentious issue in Nigeria, particularly in the north, where it has been implemented.

Critics argue that the system has been used to mete out harsh punishments, such as amputation of hands for theft, to vulnerable individuals.

Many have lost their hands or suffered other forms of mutilation under the Sharia system.

As the case continues, many Nigerians are watching with keen interest to see how justice will be served.

The court adjourned the case to February 1, 2023, for continuation of the hearing.