The six months trial of the five suspected killers of 74-year-old Madam Bridget Agbahime, over alleged blasphemy was brought to an end on Thursday, November 3, 2016 as a Kano magistrates freed all the accused acting on the orders of the Kano State government.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the charges against the 5 suspects were terminated in line with the directive from the attorney general of the state.
Bridget Agbahime, a grandmother and a Christian elder, was killed by a Muslim mob at Kofar Wambai Market over alleged blasphemy in June 2016.
At a session of the court, the Chief Magistrate, Mr. Jibrin Muhammad, discharged the five suspects and terminated the case.
The suspects, Dauda Ahmed, Abdulmumeen Mustafa, Zubairu Abubakar, Abdullahi Abubakar and Musa Abdullahi were arraigned with with a four-count charge of allegedly inciting disturbance, culpable homicide, joint act and mischief.
Earlier, the Principal state counsel, Mr. Rabiu Yusuf, representing the attorney-general of Kano State, told the court that “we received the case diary from the police on June 8.
“Having gone through the case diary, the Attorney-General of Kano State evaluated the facts in accordance with Sections 130 and150 of the Criminal Procedure Code, presented the legal advice.
“The legal advice presented to the court, dated June 24, states that there is no case to answer as the suspects are all innocent and orders the court to discharge all the suspects.’’
Counsel to the suspects, Abdulsalam Gambo, commended the attorney-general for the judgment.
Additional reports by News Agency of Nigeria