Blasphemy; 34-Man Defence Counsel Seeks Bail for Late Deborah’s Alleged Killers.

As police arraigned two suspects — Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci — at a Sokoto Chief Magistrate’s Court today over the lynching of Deborah Samuel, a 200-Level Home Economics student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, on May 12, a team of 34 lawyers arrived to defend them.

The high point of the court session was when the defence counsel applied for bail for the two accuses persons.

Recall that Deborah’s classmates lynched her for allegedly committing blasphemy on their WhatsApp group chat.

The suspects, however, pleaded not guilty.

When the suspects were apprehended, a violent street protest ensued, with protesters demanding that security operatives release them immediately.

As a result, Governor Aminu Tambuwal imposed a 24-hour curfew on Sokoto metropolis on Saturday.

He relaxed the curfew today, which will be enforced from dusk to dawn.

The Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Isa Bajini-Galadanchi, issued a statement announcing the lifting of the curfew.

See Also Sokoto student killed; Buhari Condemns Act.

Blasphemy; What happened in Court

According to the Vanguard Newspaper, prosecuting Inspector Khalil Musa told the court today that the investigation was still ongoing because Deborah’s body was still in a morgue at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto.

Professor Mansur Ibrahim, who led a team of 34 lawyers, applied for their bail on liberal terms, citing constitutional provisions and sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.

The trial judge (name withheld) reserved his decision on the bail application and remanded the accused to a correctional facility.