At the continued trial of a case where a Chinese national Geng Quangrong is alleged to have murdered his 22-year-old Nigerian girlfriend Ummuklsum Sani in Kano, the lack of an interpreter stalled the case from proceeding.
When the matter came up before the court, Defence counsel Barrister Mohammed Dan Azimi said that the accused couldn’t comprehend the English language and to that end, needed an interpreter to aid his understanding of the court proceeding.
The defence counsel, therefore, pleaded that the court provides an interpreter for the defendant in line with section 35, (3) of the 1999 constitution as amended.
Responding to the plea by the defence counsel, Barrister Musa Lawan, the prosecution counsel said “Last week when the matter came up, the accused spoke good English language and after we left the court, I wrote to the Chinese embassy seeking for an interpreter because we knew this issue would arise.
“It is a constitutional right for the defendant and I want to assure you that as soon as we get an interpreter, we will prosecute this case in the shortest time.” He assured.
Defence counsel said “English is not a mother tongue, it is a borrowed language and seeking for an interpreter is not an inadequacy. He is entitled to an interpreter and that has not been complied with, so the arraignment cannot hold.”
When asked if the request for an interpreter is not a tactic to delay justice, Barr Dan Azimi said “The accused can speak English but the constitution gives him the right to an interpreter and it is a constitutional right so he is exploring his right.”
The presiding Judge, Justice Sanusi Ado Ma’aji adjourned the case to 27th October when the case will continue.
