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From Ola Muhammad, Birnin Kebbi
An Upper Shari’a Court 3, Takalau, Birnin Kebbi, on Friday convicted and remanded one Salim Abubakar, also known as “Shekare,” after he pleaded guilty to charges of forgery, defamation and causing a breach of public peace.
The convict, who hails from the Illela area of Kalgo Local Government Area of Kebbi, was arraigned before the court , presided over by Samaila Alhaji-Noma.
The case followed a petition by the Kebbi Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Abba Sani-Kalgo, requesting the police to investigate the alleged conduct of the accused.
According to the charge read before the court, the offences contravened Sections 373, 374, 348 and 79(1) of the Kebbi State Penal Code Law, 2021.
The prosecuting officer, Cpl. Faruk Abdullahi, told the court that the accused allegedly created and published a political graphic on his Facebook account bearing the commissioner’s name and photograph alongside the logo of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He said the publication allegedly created the impression that Sani-Kalgo belonged to the ADC.
The prosecutor further alleged that the accused uploaded the material on his personal Facebook page and subsequently circulated it across other social media platforms.
When the charges were read to him, Abubakar pleaded guilty to all the counts.
Following the plea, the court convicted him accordingly.
Alhaji-Noma said: “Having found you, Salim Abubakar, guilty of all the charges brought against you, you are hereby convicted accordingly.”
Mudashiru Sale appeared for the complainant in a watching-brief capacity.
Following the conviction, the prosecution applied for an adjournment to enable it to prepare its submissions on the appropriate sentence.
“We submit that the accused has pleaded guilty and has been convicted. We therefore apply that judgment be reserved for two weeks to enable us to address the court on sentencing,” the prosecutor told the court.
Sale supported the application, saying the complainant was not ready to proceed with sentencing on Friday.
“We are not ready for judgment today. We pray the court to grant an adjournment so we can make our submissions on the appropriate sentence,” he said.
In his ruling, Alhaji-Noma granted the application, saying the adjournment would enable the prosecution to prepare adequately and allow the court to deliver a well-considered judgment.
“The court, pursuant to Section 305 of the Kebbi State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2021, hereby reserves judgment. This will afford the prosecution adequate time to prepare and also allow the court to deliver a well-considered judgment,” the Kadi said.
He adjourned the matter until Sept. 18, 2026, for judgment.
The Kadi further ordered that the convict be remanded in a correctional facility pending the date of judgment.
