A courtroom within the Nigerian state of Kaduna has acquitted Reverend Jonah Gangas and his spouse Josephine after they had been imprisoned for greater than three years. The couple, related to the ECWA church, confronted costs of kidnapping and changing a younger Muslim lady, which they denied and claimed they had been appearing on the request of police.
A pair from the evangelical Successful All Church have been embroiled in a authorized battle after taking in a 12-year-old Muslim lady who ran away from residence, authorized group ADF Worldwide stated.
In 2013, the police requested them to handle a woman who stayed with them for seven years and accomplished her secondary schooling earlier than she could possibly be reunited together with her household. Nonetheless, following a criticism by the lady's household, influenced by an Islamic group, the Gangases had been arrested and accused of kidnapping and changing the lady to Christianity.
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Their trial noticed quite a few delays however finally the Kaduna State Excessive Courtroom dominated of their favor saying the prosecution had not made out a prima facie case in opposition to them, ADF Worldwide reported, explaining that there was inadequate proof for the case. proceed.
Sean Nelson, authorized counsel for ADF Worldwide, expressed his gratitude for the acquittal. “Charitable works are an important a part of many religions, together with Christianity, and nobody needs to be punished for doing them,” he stated. “For simply serving to this younger lady and taking her in in her time of want, they had been punished, prosecuted and imprisoned. … We hope that this resolution will positively have an effect on different Christians and spiritual minorities within the nation who’re unjustly punished for his or her religion.”
Sunny Akanni, the lead lawyer on the case, stated: “Christians in Nigeria are being unfairly discriminated in opposition to for his or her religion and we’d like all who’re capable of proceed to boost their voices in assist of non secular freedom for all Nigerians. I pray that every one Nigerians will quickly be capable to worship and share their religion freely and with out worry of retribution.
ECWA, the place the Gangases serve, is a significant Christian denomination in Nigeria, boasting greater than 10 million members.
Nigeria has a troubling historical past of violence in opposition to Christians, with vital numbers of believers killed annually for his or her religion. The usage of blasphemy legal guidelines additional elevated tensions between non secular communities, resulting in violence and discrimination.
ADF Worldwide, which supported the Gangases, can be concerned in different high-profile circumstances in Nigeria, together with the protection of Yahay Sharif-Amin, a musician dealing with the dying penalty for blasphemy, and Rhoda Jatau, a Christian mom accused of blasphemy.
In October 2023, UN human rights consultants criticized Nigeria's blasphemy legal guidelines, linking them to violations of worldwide human rights requirements. This criticism got here within the wake of the violent dying of Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu, a scholar killed by her classmates for her Christian religion, and the arrest of Jatau for condemning Yakubu's homicide.
The worldwide neighborhood, together with organizations comparable to ADF Worldwide and the United Nations, proceed to name for modifications in Nigeria's method to non secular freedom and blasphemy.
