A Borno State High Court has sentenced a Christian woman, identified as Liyatu Samuel Dawa, to 14 years in prison in a controversial case involving allegations of influencing a Muslim woman to embrace Christianity.
Justice A. B. Kumdila reportedly delivered the judgment under Section 210 of the Borno State Penal Code.
According to reports, the woman involved in the case testified that she voluntarily converted to Christianity and was not forced or pressured by Dawa. The convicted woman reportedly appealed for leniency, insisting that she only offered advice.
However, the Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON) disclosed that the case involved additional allegations relating to child custody, abduction and interference with a child’s religious practice. Four other defendants were reportedly discharged and acquitted.
Dawa’s husband, Evangelist Amos Suleman, has also claimed that he went into hiding after allegedly receiving death threats following his release from detention.
The conviction has sparked discussions about religious freedom and constitutional rights in Nigeria, particularly Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
Meanwhile, an appeal has reportedly been initiated against Dawa’s conviction.