34 Lawyers Defend Deborah Samuel’s Killers As Police Arraign Suspects In Court

At least 34 lawyers have indicated interest to defend the killers of Deborah Samuel, a Christian female student at Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto State.

Deborah Samuel Sokoto

On Thursday, May 22, Deborah was beaten and burnt to death by her Muslim colleagues over alleged blasphemous remarks considered to be an insult to Prophet Mohammed

The police had announced the arrest of two suspects, Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci, in connection with Deborah’s killing, adding that investigations is going on to arrest more killers.

The two arrested suspects were arraigned by the police at a Sokoto Chief Magistrate’s Court on Monday for their alleged participation in the crime.

Aliyu and Hukunci were defended in court today by a total of 34 lawyers led by Professor Mansur Ibrahim.

When asked to take their pleas, they both pleaded not guilty to the crime.

Prosecuting Inspector, 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.

KanyiDaily recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari had condemned Deborah Samuel’s killing, demanding an impartial extensive probe into all that happened before and during the incident.