Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci, the suspected murders of Deborah Samuel, were defended in court today by a total of 34 attorneys.
The defense team was led by Prof. Mansur Ibrahim.
Deborah Samuel, a Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, 200-Level Home Economics student, was killed by a mob on May 12 for supposed blasphemy.
The suspects, who were co-students of the deceased, were arrested and charged in a Sokoto Chief Magistrate’s Court for their alleged involvement in the crime.
They pled not guilty to the offense when asked to enter their pleas.
Prosecuting Insp Khalil Musa told the court that an investigation was in progress as Deborah’s corpse was still in a morgue at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto.
The leader of the defense team, Prof. Mansur Ibrahim then applied for the bail of the suspects on liberal terms, citing constitutional provisions and sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.
The trial judge (name withheld for security reasons), however, reserved the ruling on the bail application and ordered the accused to be remanded at a correctional center.
[INDEPENDENT]
