Niger: Sharia court judge in trouble over alleged abduction

Posted by admin Niger, State News Friday, August 3rd, 2012

A Sharia Court Judge (names withheld) at Kateregi Village, in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State is now in trouble over an allegation of abducting a 25- year-old accused, standing trial in his court.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the victim, Mallama Hadiza Hajara Umar, was ordered to be remanded in Minna prison custody by the court, presided over by the judge, for allegedly getting married to one Philip Makura, a Christian adherent in the community.

Further investigations revealed that the effrontery of Hajara to have married Makura was said to have irked the anger of some of her relations who effected her arrest and promptly dragged her before the Sharia Court for prosecution.

Nigerian Tribune, however, learnt that the case had taken a new turn, as the Sharia court’s trial judge had been accused of taking advantage of his position to seduce and abduct Hajara.

In the writ of summons, filed by her counsels , a copy of which was obtained by the Nigerian Tribune, on Thursday, in Minna, the plaintiffs had alleged that Hajara was carrying three months pregnancy for Philip and had been in courtship with him for over five years, allegedly with the consent of both parents.

In his motion on notice, her counsel, an Abuja-based human rights activist, Mr Gavers C. Ihematulam has slammed a N25million suit on the said Sharia court judge, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Niger State and four others which is to be paid to the applicants for aggravated damages, owing to violation and threatened abuse of their fundamental human rights as enshrined under the 1999 Constitution.

via Tribunewp_posts