DISSATISFIED with the death sentence passed on Hajara Ibrahim by a Sharia court in Lere, Tafawa Balewa local government area of Bauchi State for being pregnant outside wedlock, the family of the convict has appealed against the judgment at an upper Sharia court in Dass, praying the court to upturn the lower court judgment.
The family held in the appeal that, Hajara has never married, hence she cannot be said to have committed adultery to attract such a capital punishment of death.
Hajara Ibrahim, an 18 year old lady now faces death by stoning, following her conviction by a Sharia court, an offence contrary to section 130 of the Sharia penal code as practised in Bauchi.
The convict is the fifth person so far convicted and condemned to death by stoning, since the introduction of Shaira legal system in Bauchi two and half year ago, and the second woman to be convicted.
Mallam Ibrahim Auta Liman, the adopted father while appealing the lower Sharia court verdict explained that he gave out the convict in marriage to someone in Lafia, Nasarawa State sometimes last year, but revealed that the marriage was never consummated that as Hajara refused to accept the man and absconded.
He explained that because of her refusal to accept the man, the marriage became still born, and in his opinion he said, his daughter should not have been convicted for adultery, but fornication, which carries lesser punishment.
Hajara who now lives with her mother at Machien-Bello village 120 kilometer away from Bauchi State capital was in high spirit when Vanguard visited the place, believing that God will vindicate her.
Although she withdrew to the inner compound on citing 'strange' visitors she later came out on the invitation of her mother Adama.
Hajara told Vanguard that she was not happy with the judgment "because I was the only one convicted. Dauda Sani who is responsible for my pregnancy was set free by the court and I have never known any man except him".