Court frees El-Zakzaky, wife, says they have no case to answer

Court frees El-Zakzaky, wife, says they have no case to answer

A Kaduna State High Court on Wednesday, freed the embattled leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife.

In an 8-hour long ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Gideon Kurada upheld the no-case submission filed by Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife in an alleged culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of public peace levelled against them by the Kaduna state government.

The judge in his ruling held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendants.

El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, have been standing trial for four years on an eight-count charge of alleged culpable homicide, disruption of public peace and unlawful Assembly among others levelled against them by the Kaduna State Government.

The defendants were brought to court on Wednesday morning by officials of the Nigerian Correctional service amidst tight security.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Their lead counsel and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Femi Falana, had on July 1, argued that all the 15 witnesses presented by the prosecution counsel were unable to establish any connection between the alleged crimes and Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his wife.

Falana then prayed the court to rule in favour of his clients and dismiss the charges levelled against them as there was no criminal case that has been established against them so far by the Kaduna State Government.

The Shi’ite leader was arrested by the military on December 13, 2015, and he made his first cout appearance on May18, 2018.