The High Court has dismissed an application by the State seeking to strike out the appeal filed by APC politician and musician Zainab Sheriff against her four-year and three-month prison sentence, paving the way for a full hearing of the matter.
Delivering his ruling, Justice Mark Ngegba held that the appellant had raised significant concerns regarding the magistrate’s judgment that warranted judicial consideration.
According to one of Sheriff’s legal representatives, the judge noted that the court could not overlook the issues brought before it.
In a statement shared on her Facebook page, Lawyer Basita Michael quoted as saying: “The appellant has come to this court citing issues of considerable dissatisfaction with the judgment of the magistrate which I cannot in good conscience ignore.”
The ruling represents an important procedural victory for Sheriff, as it allows the appeal to proceed to a substantive hearing where the court will fully examine the grounds challenging both her conviction and sentence.
The appeal has been scheduled for hearing on 2 July 2026, when the High Court will consider the merits of the case and determine whether the lower court’s decision should be upheld, varied, or overturned.
