Ibrahim Zakzaky, leader of the Shiites group in Nigeria and his wife, Zeenah have been discharged and acquitted of the eight-count charge brought against them by the Kaduna State Government.
The Kaduna State High Court on Wednesday ruled that the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (INM), who was accused of culpable homicide, disruption of public peace and unlawful assembly in a charge brought against him and his wife by the Kaduna State government has no case to answer.
Justice Gideon Urada upheld the no-case submission filed by Zakzaky’s counsel, Femi Falana, saying that the witnesses presented by the prosecution counsel had been unable to establish any connection between the charges and El-Zakzaky.
Ahead of the court ruling, security was beefed up within the Kaduna metropolis and environs, while all roads leading to the High Court complex were barricaded by security operatives.
El-Zakzaky and his wife Zeenah Ibrahim are standing trial in the court for the past four years on an eight-count of alleged culpable homicide, disruption of public peace and unlawful Assembly among others levelled against them by the Kaduna state government.
They were brought to court on Wednesday morning by officials of the Nigerian Correctional service amidst tight security.
Femi Falana, counsel to El-Zakzaky, had argued that all the 15 witnesses presented by the prosecution counsel were unable to establish any connection between the alleged crimes and El-Zakzaky.
The human rights lawyer had in the last sitting on July 1, 2021, prayed the court to rule in favour of his clients and dismissed the charges levelled against them as there was no criminal case that has been established against them so far by the Kaduna State Government.
El-Zakzaky and his wife have been in detention since December 2015 following a bloody clash between his followers and soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna State.
However, after the eight-hour court session, El-Zazaky was seen whisked out of the court premises on Ibrahim Taiwo Road suspected by the officials of the DSS to an unknown destination.
Sources say that he may have been re-arrested for another offence.
Comments 1