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LequteMan
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Two Islamic courts in Nigeria have been forced to suspend the trials of 10 men accused of homosexuality because of fears of mob violence, judges and officials have said.
An angry crowd had last week pelted stones at seven of the men suspected of breaking an Islamic law banning homosexuality after their hearing was adjourned at the Upper Sharia Court in Bauchi.
The angry mob were demanding summary trial and execution for the defendants, forcing the Police to use teargas and fire shots in the air to disperse them.
Registrar to the court, Unguwar Jaki said to newsmen: “We can't continue with the trial in view of the security breach we had during the last court session.
“The court will have to suspend the trial pending the review of the security situation with relevant authorities to avoid a repeat of the mob action we saw last week.”
A separate trial of three other suspects at another sharia court in the Tudun Alkali area of the city was also put on hold “because of the stoning incident in the other court, which we are trying to avoid here”, according to judge Nuhu Mohammed Dumi.
He suggested that the new trial date would not be publicised and the suspects brought to court in secret to avoid unrest.
“The families of the three suspects... came to me requesting bail and I told them that it was in their interests to stay in prison because they risk losing their lives at the hands of an angry mob if they are released on bail,” he said.
An angry crowd had last week pelted stones at seven of the men suspected of breaking an Islamic law banning homosexuality after their hearing was adjourned at the Upper Sharia Court in Bauchi.
The angry mob were demanding summary trial and execution for the defendants, forcing the Police to use teargas and fire shots in the air to disperse them.
Registrar to the court, Unguwar Jaki said to newsmen: “We can't continue with the trial in view of the security breach we had during the last court session.
“The court will have to suspend the trial pending the review of the security situation with relevant authorities to avoid a repeat of the mob action we saw last week.”
A separate trial of three other suspects at another sharia court in the Tudun Alkali area of the city was also put on hold “because of the stoning incident in the other court, which we are trying to avoid here”, according to judge Nuhu Mohammed Dumi.
He suggested that the new trial date would not be publicised and the suspects brought to court in secret to avoid unrest.
“The families of the three suspects... came to me requesting bail and I told them that it was in their interests to stay in prison because they risk losing their lives at the hands of an angry mob if they are released on bail,” he said.
