SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, 6 OTHER HOMOSEXUALS STONED IN BAUCHI COURT

There was pandemonium at the Upper Court 4 in Anguwan Jaki, Bauchi
State, yesterday, as an angry mob almost lynched seven suspected
homosexuals brought to court for trial.
One of the suspects was identified as the Principal of a Government
Secondary School in the state.
The development forced security personnel at the court premises to
rescue the suspects by firing gunshots in the air and using teargas to
disperse the mob.
The suspects are Ibrahim Marafa, Shehu Adamu, Yusuf Adamu, Aliyu
Dalhatu, Abdulmalik Tanko, Usman Sabo and Hazif Sabo Abubakar.
The angry mob hurled stones at the van carrying them as it sped
dangerously back to prison. A few people sustained injuries in the
process.
The suspects faced charges of allegedly engaging in gay activities in
Bauchi State, an action that contravenes the Islamic laws which the
state is operating.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Haruna Mohammed, said the
suspects were arrested by the Bauchi State Sharia Commission.
The atmosphere around the court was tense as the suspects came out of
the court with the mob reigning abuses and pelting them with stones.
Earlier, inside the rowdy court, counsel to the Sharia Commission,
Danlami Ayuba, told the court that one of the suspects was identified
as Ibrahim Marafa, the Principal of Government Secondary School,
Mainamaji.
When the case was slated for hearing, counsel to the suspect, Abdul
Musa, said he was not ready and sought for bail for his client to
enable them study the charges. The bail application was rejected by
the counsel to the Sharia commission.
The presiding judge, El-Yaqub Aliyu, refused to grant the bail and
adjourned the case till Monday to enable the prosecutors present their
witness.
Similarly the State Sharia Commission counsel paraded six other
suspects. When their case was mentioned, the presiding judge cautioned
the Sharia commission's counsel to ensure that they had proper
evidence on the accused persons before arraigning them.