Mother spared death by stoning

AN Islamic appeals court in Nigeria yesterday acquitted a single mother who faced death by stoning for adultery in a case that has drawn international outrage.

A five-judge panel rejected Amina Lawal's conviction, saying she was not given "ample opportunity to defend herself."

If the sentence had been carried out, the 32-year-old would have been the first woman stoned to death since 12 northern states first began adopting strict Islamic law, or Shariah, in 1999.