Mother of five Rhoda Jatau remains in prison 18 months after condemning lynching of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto
Bauchi State High Court has rejected a no-case submission request brought by the defence team of a healthcare worker Rhoda Jatau who is facing charges of inciting public disturbance, exciting contempt of religious creed and cyberstalking.
Mrs Jatau was arrested by the Department of State Security on May 20, 2022 after she shared a video that condemned the lynching of Deborah Samuel, a Christian college student in Sokoto accused of blasphemy against Islam and set ablaze in daylight on May 12, 2022 by a mob at Shehu Shagari College of Education.
Jatau’s defence team submitted their request for the case to be dropped at a hearing on October 16 attended by members of the press and human rights observers. Also present was Jatau’s husband, Ya’u Adamu, who has been raising their five children alone since his wife’s arrest.
On Monday, however, the court ruled that she must enter her defence.
Human rights advocate and a member of Jatau’s legal team Solomon Mwantiri said he was “hugely disappointed” with the court ruling.
Following her arrest, Jatau’s family went into hiding for their own security. Jatau has only seen members of her family at court hearings.
United Nations experts have expressed concern at the arrest and detention of Jatau for merely peacefully exercising her right to freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief. They also pointed out that Jatau has been repeatedly denied bail and since her arrest has only had intermittent access to legal counsel.
Under the Shari’a laws of northern Nigeria, blasphemy is a capital offence carrying the death penalty on conviction.
