Washington, D.C. Newsroom, 20 December, 2024 / 1:00 pm (ACI Africa).
A Nigerian Christian mother of five has been fully acquitted of “blasphemy” charges after a two-and-a-half-year legal battle.
A judge in the northeast Bauchi state in Nigeria has granted Rhoda Jatau, 47, full acquittal of blasphemy charges, according to a Dec. 19 press release from her legal team at ADF International. Bauchi practices a form of Sharia law, under which blasphemy is a crime punishable by execution.
“We are thankful to God for Rhoda’s full acquittal and an end to the ordeal she has endured for far too long,” stated Sean Nelson, legal counsel for ADF International, in the release. “No person should be punished for peaceful expression, and we are grateful that Rhoda Jatau has been fully acquitted. But Rhoda should never have been arrested in the first place.”
“We will continue to seek justice for Christians and other religious minorities in Nigeria who are unjustly imprisoned and plagued by the draconian blasphemy laws,” he added.
A Nigerian ADF lawyer who represented Jatau and is remaining anonymous responded to the news, stating: “After a two-and-a-half-year ordeal, including 19 long months in prison, we are happy that Rhoda finally has been acquitted of any wrongdoing. We thank all who have been praying for Rhoda, and we ask for your continued prayers as Nigerians continue to push back against persecution.”
