Mubarak Bala: Kano court sentences man to 24 years imprisonment for ‘insulting’ Allah
A Kano State High Court sitting at Audu Bako has, on Tuesday, sentenced a self-proclaimed atheist, Mubarak Bala, to 24 years imprisonment.
His crime? Blasphemy.
Bala, who is the president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, went viral in 2020 following his arrest in Kaduna for blasphemy against Allah, whom Muslims believe to be the Almighty God.
Bala was also accused of saying blasphemous things about Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.
The self-styled atheist had been in a correctional facility for about two years.
He was charged with an 18-count charge and sentenced by Justice Faruk Lawan to 24 years imprisonment, Punch reported.
Bala pleaded guilty to committing blasphemy, saying that his Facebook posts were not meant to cause violence but he would take caution henceforth not to repeat it.
The court reminded him of his right to religion but warned that where his right stopped, that of others started, and added that there were many people with Bala’s ideology but they did go about insulting other people’s religion.
