A Higher Shari’a Court in Tsafe, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Thursday adjourned until July 25 a case filed against a man allegedly married to his grandniece.
The Presiding Judge, Malam Bashir Mahe, adjourned the case to allow counsel to the defendant, Mr Abubakar Ayuba, to study the prosecution evidence.
The Hisbah Commission filed the suit seeking a dissolution of the 20 year union.
The Hisbah commission told the court that the marriage between Malam Musa Dangote and Wasila Musa, his niece’s daughter, was against Sharia laws and the Islamic jurisprudence.
The Commission said it was compelled to file a case against the couple after efforts by the Islamic Advisory Council(Shura) and the Tsafe Emirate yielded no fruit.
Counsel to the commission, Malam Sani Muhammed, told the court that investigations by various Islamic bodies and the emirate showed that the couple who got married some time in 1999 are directly related and so marriage is forbidden between them.
Muhammed said the act contravenes the teachings of Islam as indicated in the Holy Qur’an chapter three verse 23.
He, therefore, prayed the court to immediately terminate the marriage.
Meanwhile, Ayuba, denied the allegations and requested for access to the commission’s investigation report which it presented as evidence.
Ayuba also requested for time to examine the report and prepare his defence.
The judge ordered that the report of the commission’s investigation be given over to the defence counsel and gave him five days to study and respond appropriately.
The judge then adjourned sitting for continuation of hearing in the matter.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Musa, 35, has given birth to eight children in the 20-year-old marriage.
