BAUCHI — AN upper sharia court in Ningi has granted bail to the 29-year old woman, Daso Adamu who was sentenced to death by stoning for having baby outside wedlock.
She was convicted last month by Agurmaji lower sharia court and remanded in prison custody along with her baby awaiting execution. Dissatified with the lower court’s decision, the convict filed an appeal at the Ningi upper sharia court, seeking for bail, following her remand with the baby.
Adamu’s counsel, Abdulkadir Suleiman told the appellant court to grant his client bail, reasoning that his client was still breast feeding. He said to commit his client to prison alongside her baby was unfair as it violates the right of the baby.
The counsel also prayed the court to adjourn the case to enable him study the case in the interest of justice and fairness. The appellant judge, Malam Suleiman Yusuf, granted the convict bail and adjourned the case till November 3, for mention.
Daso Adamu is the second woman sentenced to death along side Hajara Ibrahim since the introduction of sharia less than three years ago for adultery.
Three other men were said to be awaiting death by stoning following their conviction for adultery. But their execution is hinged on the state governor’s approval.
It was gathered that about 23 others sentenced for various offences ranging from amputation to imprisonment, were awaiting the governor’s approval.
Meanwhile, the Dass upper sharia court has fixed Monday for the mentioning of the appeal filed by Hajara Ibrahim, the second convict’s family.
The family prayed the appellant court in Dass to upturn the lower court judgment in Lere arguing that the verdict was passed in error since the girl according to them was not married. Hence cannot be accused of adultery rather she should be charged for fornication which attracts lesser penalty.
Meanwhile, Governor Mu’azu of Bauchi State has donated one sixteen seater, Toyota Hiace bus valued at over N6 million each to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) correspondent chapel and the men of the immigration service.
Presenting the buses at government House Bauchi, the governor charged the two beneficiaries to put them to maximum use for productivity and efficiency and prayed for the protection of the cars and the users. In a related development, the Bauchi state government has disbursed over N100million to the state civil servants under its car loan-revolving scheme in the last five years with no fewer than 500 persons benefiting.
Statement in Bauchi, emanating from the finance ministry and signed by Mohammed Gololo for the commissioner, said the scheme revitalized in 1999 by Governor Adamu Mu’’azu’’s administration.
Also, over N40 million was said to have be disbursed by the state government under its motorcycle/bicycle to the civil servants where over one thousand and two hundred were said to have benefited.
The statement said the car loan was aimed at enabling civil servants on grade level 07and above own a car to enhance their productivity and efficiency.
According to the statement, the government has also disbursed over N73.4 million as motorcycle and bicycle loan to people under its poverty eradication programme in addition to another N7, 345,000 bringing the total to N8, 074,500.00.
The statement assured all civil servants that the Revolving fund will be a continuous one and disbursement will be equitably done without bias or sentiment.
It therefore appealed to Civil servants to continue to put on their best for the overall development of the state and the Nation at large.
