Court convicts two of defamation of Ganduje, orders flogging, sanitation service

By Ridwan Adekunle

A Kano State Magistrate Court presided over by Aminu Muhammad Gabari has ordered public flogging for Mubarak Isa Muhammad and Nazifi Muhammad Bala for defaming the character of Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Tiktok.

The pair who are to receive 20 lashes each were also ordered to sweep the premises of the court and keep the toilet facility clean for 30 days.

The punishment was handed to them after they pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of defamation and inciting public disturbance.

Muhammad and Bala reportedly made snide remarks against the Governor in videos posted on their Tiktok accounts alleging that the governor “does not see a land without selling it” and “he sleeps a lot.”

Barr. Wada Ahmad Wada, the prosecutor from the Kano State Ministry of Justice had applied for a summary trial against the duo and at the proceeding on Monday, trial magistrate Gabari ordered the respondents to pay a fine of N10,000 each for defaming the character of the Kano State Governor and another N10,000 for inciting public disturbance.

Gabari similarly administered non-custodial terms against the convicts, namely the public flogging and sanitation service at the Justice Aloma Mukthar Court Complex located in the No-Man’s-land area in Kano City.

He also ordered them to make tender a video apology to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on their social media.