In a recent development, the Upper Shariah Court of Appeal No. 1 in Bauchi metropolis has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Dr Idris Abdul’aziz, the Imam of Dutsen-Tanshi Jumma’at Mosque. The warrant was issued as a result of his failure to appear before the court. Dr Abdul’aziz is facing trial for alleged incitement of public disturbance and blasphemy, following a petition filed against him by the Police. The petition alleged that during one of his Ramadan Tafsir sessions, the Islamic cleric made blasphemous comments about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and some notable Dariqa clerics.
Presiding over the case, Judge Hussaini Turaki ruled that the Imam, who had previously been released on bail, must appear before the court during the next sitting on Monday, June 5, 2023. The judge also stated that Dr Abdul’aziz’s failure to honor the court’s summons constituted contempt.
In response, Barrister Sadiq Abubakar Ilelah, the counsel representing the Islamic cleric, explained that Dr Abdul’aziz was unable to attend the court sitting due to an undisclosed ailment. He further added that they had filed a motion requesting another opportunity for their client to appear on the next trial date. However, the judge rejected their plea, citing the Imam’s disregard for the court’s summons.
The prosecuting counsel, Aliyu Bn Idris, revealed that the case had been transferred from Magistrate Court 1 to the Upper Shariah Court of Appeal 1 to start fresh proceedings. He mentioned that although the defendant did not come to court, they had filed a notice of preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court. Nonetheless, they argued that the defendant should have appeared before the court before presenting their motion. As a result, they applied for a bench warrant against him, which the court granted.
The case has been adjourned to Monday, June 5, 2023, for mention.