Mother appeals against death by stoning sentence

An Islamic appeals court in northern Nigeria was today deciding the fate of a single mother facing death by stoning for adultery in a case that has drawn international outrage.

Lawyers for Amina Lawal said they were confident of an acquittal. If the sentence is carried out, the 32-year-old would become the first woman stoned to death since 12 northern states first began adopting strict Islamic law, or Shariah, in 1999.