Corpun file 12426

Daily Trust, Abuja, 9 December 2003

Sharia court convicts prostitutes

From Tashikalmah Hallah
in Bauchi

A Sharia court sitting in Missau, in Bauchi state has convicted eight women for idleness and prostitution, just as the state Sharia commission raided liquor joints and arrested seven persons and confiscated 47 cartons of beer.

Similarly, the Sharia commission in an enlightenment campaign in Bununu district of Tafawa Balewa local government area at the weekend explained that the commission is not desirous in prosecuting people, but to have a society free of social maladies.

The eight women, according to the court were arrested by men of the Sharia enforcement team in the state – Hisbah and were charged to the court by the police and found to have committed the offence and were sentenced to three thousand naira fine and 10 strokes of the cane.

Testifying before the court, the commander of the Hisbah team in Missau Alhaji Yahaya, said the convicts were arrested in different brothels in Misau town, loitering about as commercial sex workers.

The presiding judge Alhaji Mohammed Kabir after hearing all the cross examinations and the allegation of guilt by the convicts, sentenced each to N3,000 and 10 strokes of the cane, and warned them to get their husbands or be prepared to face severe punishments.

However, four of the convicts presented their suitors at the court chambers and the judges Mohammed Kabir reduced their sentences to one thousand naira.

The conviction of the eight prostitutes however, is coming at the wake of an unpresented [sic] raid on hotels and liquor joints in Bauchi metropolis where 47 cartons of liquid item suspected to beer [sic] were confiscated and seven persons were arrested by a combined team of police and Hisba.