Again, Court Adjourns Trial Of Embattled IMN Leader, El-Zakazky

Again, Court Adjourns Trial Of Embattled IMN Leader, El-Zakazky

A High Court sitting in Kaduna State has again, adjourned the trial of the embattled leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife Zeenat to May 25, 2021, for the continuation of hearing on the case.

During the sitting on Wednesday, the prosecuting counsel, Dari Bayero, finally rested his case by presenting his last witness.

He also prays the court to overrule the no-case submission by the defence counsel and to go on and convict the defendants as provided in the law.

This brings the total number of witnesses called by the prosecution to 15.

Counsel to Elzakzaky, Abubakar Marshal who represented the lead counsel, Mr Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria is expected to open his defence during the next adjourned date.

He however told reporters that he will be entering a no-case submission for the defendants, adding that there is no criminal case so far that has been established against the defendants by the Kaduna state government.

[irp]

Elzakzaky and his wife are standing trial on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of the public peace, among others.

Among the witnesses who testified against the IMN leader include two army officers, a retired director of state security service, police officers and a medical doctor who testified before the court

On Sept. 29, 2020, the IMN leader and his wife pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

Elzakzaky and his wife Zeenat have been in detention since their arrest in December 2015 following a bloody clash between IMN members and soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna State.