Blasphemy: Sheikh ditches defence counsels, tells court he’ll defend himself

Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abduljabbar Nasir Kabara, has again insisted he will defend himself despite taking the services of lawyers defend him in the blasphemy trial.

The cleric  tackled his lawyers, forcing them to withdraw from the case, .

On Thursday, the cleric, again told the court that he does not have confidence in his lawyers defending him well as they have not mastered Islam.

At the resumed hearing of the case, the prosecution counsel, Professor Saida Suraj (SAN), presented the second prosecution witness, one Murtala Kabir Muhammad, a teacher and resident of Kofar Na’isa Lokon Makera, who said he was one of the students of Abduljabbar.

However, , the defense counsel, Barrister Muhamamd Amin Kabir, applied to the court that the defendant be allowed to cross examine the witness himself, citing section 36(6d) of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

Ruling, the presiding judge, Ibrahim Sarkin-Yola, held that the defence had the option of choosing either the defendant to handle his case alone or his lawyers defend him, but that both of them cannot continue together.

His lawyers, however, insisted on remaining in the case till the end.

The prosecution counsel  had no objection for the cleric to do the cross-examination, it was their duty to state that a capital cannot go on without defense lawyers.

Upon taking all the arguments, the judge, thereafter, adjourned the case to 11th November, 2021.