A sharia court in Lere, Tafawa Balewa Local government area of Bauchi State has sentenced a 29-year old woman Hajara Ibrahim, a divorcee to death by stoning for allegedly being pregnant outside wedlock. But the sharia court has set free one Dauda Sani a 35-year old man accused by the convict to be responsible for the pregnancy for want of evidence to link him with the act.
Delivering judgment, the sharia court judge, Abubakar Bello said the convict has confessed committing fornication with one Dauda Bello who however denied ever knowing her nor having any carnal knowledge of her. He said, Hajara told the court that Dauda Sani had made love to her on several occasions promising that he was going to marry her, but the estranged lover deserted her.
The judge said the offence was contrary to the sharia legal code as practised in the state, stressing that the offence was punishable with death by stoning.
The judge however, handed over the convict to her guardian to take care of her until she gives birth before the sentence could be carried out. The sharia court judge said it is however subject to the approval of the state governor, Adamu Mu'azu.
Vanguard learnt that the present sentence brought to four, the number of death sentences since the beginning of the sharia legal code in the state while over twenty others were awaiting approval for amputation, including the media celebrated Hussaini Maidoya who chopped off his wife's leg.
One Yunusa Rafin-Chiyawa, 35 who admitted making love to his friend's wife thirteen times is also said to be awaiting the execution of death sentence.
Meanwhile, the sharia consultative council had warned the state governor, Adamu Mu"azu to either give approval for the execution of the sentences or should set them free rather than allowing them to languish in detention.