Blasphemy: Despite protests, Sokoto court remands suspected killers of Deborah Samuel

A Sokoto Chief Magistrates’ Court has ordered two suspected muderers, Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci of Deborah Samuel to be remanded be remanded at a correctional centre.

The court pronounced this when police arraigned the suspects before it on Monday May 16, 2022.

Deborah Samuel was allegedly killed on Thursday May 12, 2022 over an allege blasphemy. She was a year two student of Shehu Shagari College of Education (SSCOE).

Following the killing, police arrested the suspects who are co-students of victim for their alleged participation in the crime. 

The development generated tension especially within the Sokoto metropolis where some youths took to the street to protest the arrest of the suspects which made the state governor to declare 24 hours curfew and was subsequently relaxed. 

According to PUNCH report, the suspects pleaded not guilty to the crime.

Prosecuting Inspector Khalil Musa told the court that an investigation was in progress as Deborah’s corpse was still in a morgue at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto.

Leading a team of 34 lawyers, the defence counsel, Prof. Mansur Ibrahim, applied for their bail on liberal terms, citing constitutional provisions and sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.

The trial judge (name withheld for security reasons), however, reserved the ruling on the bail application and ordered the accused to be remanded at a correctional centre.