The Kano State High Court Number 25 has dismissed a criminal case against Kano based filmmaker Hajiya Aishat Tijjani popularly known as Hajiya Amart.
The court also nullified an Accused Summon issued by Chief Magistrate Court 60 Kano.
In a judgment presided over by Justice Adam Abdullahi, the court ruled in Suit No K/2044/24 that the accused summon is unconstitutional and ultra vires. The court, however, did not award monetary compensation for damages.
It can be recalled that on the 13th of February 2024, the summon was issued by the lower court at the instance of the Kano State Censorship Board which accused the filmmaker of operating without a license in violation of the Kano State Censorship Board law.
There was also a notification of revocation of a license to operate as a producer and distributor of films in a letter from the Censorship Board dated 15th February 2024.
Reacting to the judgment, Hajiya Amart’s lawyer Ya’u Abdullahi Umar said, “The Accused Summon was issued on the 13th, that is two days before the revocation. So it was on this ground that we challenged the Accused Summon that was issued to her to appear before the court. And successfully, the court today delivered a very good and sound judgment nullifying the said Accused Summon as unconstitutional because it was issued at the time when her license was still valid and subsisting. As for the revocation itself, it is also a subject of litigation before another court, which has been carried out by another office, and which we are aware of as a pending case.’’
Similarly reacting to the judgment, Executive Producer Unchained Vibe Africa Mr Ayodele Ganiu revealed that UVA has directly intervened in this case and facilitated the much needed legal assistance as a matter of Public Interest Litigation to defend artistic freedom, broader freedom of expression and protection of public interests. He explained that the judgment underscores why independent courts are required to protect fundamental freedoms.
“We congratulate Hajiya Amart on this victory and call on the Kano State Censorship Board to embrace reforms that can transform the body into an institution that promotes creativity and development of the creative industries,” he said..
