By Sunday Elijah
A State High Court in Kano has sentenced an atheist, Mubarak Bala, to 24 years jail term after he reportedly pleaded guilty to an 18-count charge of blasphemy levelled against him by the Kano State government.
Bala, President of Humanist Association of Nigeria, was arrested in Kaduna State in April 2020, over his Facebook post seen as critical of Prophet Mohammed and Islam.
The post has reportedly caused outrage among Muslims in Nigeria.
The arrest followed a petition by a lawyer, S.S Umar, and other Islamic clerics and then transferred to Kano State.
He was held for two years without charges and his whereabouts unknown to his family and lawyer.
Bala appeared on Tuesday, Justice Farouk Lawan of Kano High Court 4, and pleaded guilty to all charges against him, insisting he was not going to change his plea when the judge asked him whether he understood the consequences of his guilty plea.
In a statement, spokesperson, Kano Ministry of Justice, Baba Jibo, announced that Mr Bala was sentenced to 48 years for inciting contempt of religion and breach of public peace.
“He was convicted after pleaded guilty before the court with 18 count charges. The court ordered that the imprisonment term be commenced from the time he was initially arrested.
“Similarly, the court ordered the term should similarly run concurrently.
“By the order, the convict should serve 24 years in a correctional facility,” Mr Jibo said.
