Two suspects arraigned before a Sokoto Magistrates Court this morning over the murder of Deborah Samuel

TWO suspects accused of the murder of Shehu Shagari College of Education student Deborah Samuel have been arraigned by the police before a Sokoto Chief Magistrates’ Court charged with murder.

This morning, Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci were presented in court, charged with the unlawful killing of Ms Samuel, a 200-Level Home Economics student, who was murdered on May 12. She had been accused of blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed and was stoned to death before being set ablaze.

Both suspects, who were co-students of the deceased, were arraigned at a Sokoto Chief Magistrates’ Court for their alleged participation in the crime. They pleaded not guilty to the crime and were remanded in custody by the judge.

Prosecuting, Inspector Khalil Musa told the court that an investigation was in progress as Deborah’s corpse was still in a morgue at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto. However, leading a team of 34 lawyers, the defence counsel, Professor Mansur Ibrahim, applied for their bail on liberal terms, citing constitutional provisions and sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.

However, the trial judge reserved ruling on the bail application and ordered the accused to be remanded at a correctional centre. Over the weekend, the Sokoto State Police Command said that another one of the suspects was probably from Niger Republic as he could not be found anywhere in the Sokoto Metropolis.