The case, which came up on Thursday at the apex court, marks
a critical stage in a legal battle that has drawn national and international
attention since 2020.

THE ALLEGED OFFENCE

Sharif-Aminu’s ordeal began on March 4, 2020, when he
circulated a song via WhatsApp. The lyrics were deemed offensive and
blasphemous against Prophet Muhammad.

Following public outrage, protesters stormed his family
house in Kano and set it ablaze while demanding his arrest. He was subsequently
taken into custody by the Hisbah police in Kano.

THE JUDGMENT AND
APPEALS

On August 10, 2020, an upper sharia court in  Filin Hockey area of Kano convicted
Sharif-Aminu and sentenced him to death by hanging.

The singer did not deny the charges at the trial. Aliyu
Muhammad Kani, the trial judge, informed him of his right to appeal the ruling.

The judgment sparked outrage across social media platforms,
with many groups raising concerns about freedom of expression and fair trial
standards.

Displeased with the verdict, Sharif-Aminu approached the
Kano state high court.

On January 21, 2021, the high court quashed his conviction
on the grounds that he was denied legal representation at the sharia court.
However, it ordered that he face a fresh trial before another sharia court.

Not satisfied with the order for retrial, Sharif-Aminu
appealed to the court of appeal in Kano, arguing that since the original
conviction was nullified, he should have been acquitted and discharged.

The appellate court, in a majority decision, upheld the
retrial order, ruling that it was lawful and in the interest of justice.

The majority judgment further held that the Kano State
Sharia Penal Code Law 2000, under which Sharif-Aminu was convicted, was not
unconstitutional.

A minority decision disagreed, arguing that the singer ought
to have been discharged once the initial trial was declared invalid.

The singer then proceeded to the supreme court to challenge
the appellate court’s ruling.