Bauchi: Court remands trader for defaming Sharia Court judge on Facebook

The Chief Magistrate Court II in Bauchi on Thursday remanded a 27-year-old trader, Gaddafi Abdulmumin, in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) for defaming a Sharia Court judge on his Facebook page.

The prosecution counsel, Inspector Yusuf Usman, told the court that the accused had defamed the character of the Sharia Court judge of Liman Katugum, Muhammed Sunusi Babaji, by posting several abusive and insulting words on his Facebook page with the intent to tarnish the judge’s image.

Usman told the court that the plaintiff had in a petition addressed to the state Commissioner of Police dated 26 February 2020 narrated the genesis of the case when the accused person, Gaddafi Abdulmumin, sued one lady Jessica Basil in his court with suit number CV/30/09/2019 dated 19 September, 2019.

“I heard the case on the 21 October, 2019 which was slated at that day for mention. The case ended by consent judgement due to the fact that the parties agreed to settle out of court which is permitted by the law.

“The parties, after settling their case out of court, applied to the court to consider and accept their settlement as the final judgement of the court, ‘Consent Judgement,’ which is also known by the law. The court looking at and considering the terms and conditions of the settlement granted the application.

“Thereafter, the plaintiff in the said case, Gaddafi Abdulmumin, later posted and reproduced mechanically several abusive and insulting words on his Facebook page against me, intending to harm me, knowing that the insult and imputation will harm my personality and reputation as the honourable judge of Liman Katugum Sharia Court which amounts to cyber crime and defamation of my character globally,” the petition read.

The prosecutor said that the accused has admitted to the charges in his written statement, which is an offence contrary and punishable under section 24 (1) (a) and (b) of Cyber Crime Prohibition and Prevention Act 2015 and section 391 and 392 of the Penal Code law.

In her rulling, Magistrate Safiya Doma adjourned the case to 30 March, 2020, as the court awaits legal advice from the state’s Ministry of Justice.

She therefore ordered the accused to be remanded in the custody of the Correctional Service in the state.