Shariah Court Orders Arrest Of Magajin Sokoto

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Gov Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State

By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Sokoto State Upper Shari’ah Court has ordered for the immediate arrest and detention of the Magajin Garin Sokoto, Alhaji Hassan Danbaba for contempt of the court.

Danbaba is facing a one-count charge of criminal defamation of character instituted against him by the zonal Vice Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in charge of the North-West, Barrister Inuwa Abdulkadir.
Abdulkadir accused Danbaba of defamation following his letter to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in which he alleged that his (Abdulkadir) parents were slaves and one Gwaggo Uwar Gida bought his father at the cost of two shillings and his mother ended up on motorcycle to her place of work because he was not taking good care of her.
He alleged that Danbaba had in the letter claimed that there was a time Abdulkadir’s mother complained to one Isma’ila and Sodangi that they should kindly plead with her own son to improve her life.
“And he has done all these with the intention of tarnished my image” he added.
When the matter came up on Friday neither Danbaba nor his lawyer was at the court; the judge found the act offensive as the bailiff confirmed serving him with summon through the Secretary to the Sultanate Council, Danbaba being a member.
In his argument the counsel to Abdulkadir, Barrister John Shaka said they had evidences that the accused had received all summons citing the written preliminary objection sent by Danbaba’s Kaduna based Lawyer, one Professor Yusuf Dankofa contesting the way he was served with the summons.
He also cited the motion of notice filed by the same lawyer asking the court to stay proceeding pending the determination of their appeal at the Sokoto High Court.
“There are enough evidence to show that the accused has received the summons and his refusal to appear today is deliberate,” Shaka said
He however, asked the court to strike out the preliminary objection and the motion and direct the Inspector General of Police to arrest, keep and produce the accused on the next adjourned date.
In his ruling, the Presiding Judge, Umar Liman Sifawa said it was pre-mature to strike out the two motions as the accused deserved to be given another chance to appear before the court and defend them.
While granting the last prayer of the complainant, he said by virtue of the position of the accused person in the society and the respect he has for the Sultanate Council he could only directed the state Commissioner of Police to arrest the accused not the Inspector General.
He directed the Commissioner of Police to immediately arrest and detain the accused pending a further instruction from the court because he disrespected the court by refusing to appear before it.

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