Court Adjourns El-Zakzaky’s Trial Till 2021

Court Adjourns El-Zakzaky’s Trial Till 2021

A Kaduna State High Court has adjourned the trial of the embattled leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibraheem Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenat, till January 2021.

The presiding judge, Justice Gideon Kurada, adjourned the trial during Thursday’s sitting after the prosecution counsel, Dari Bayero, presented six witnesses before the court.

This comes a day after Bayero presented two witnesses from the Nigerian Army who testified in secret before the court.

A Director from the State Security Service (SSS), and three residents of Gyallesu community in Zaria, were among the four witnesses that were admitted on Thursday.

While the session was ongoing, the witnesses were also cross-examined by the defence counsel.

Bayero informed Justice Kurada that he would present the remaining witnesses, including a General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Nigerian Army, at the resumed hearing next year.

It would be recalled that El-Zakzaky and his wife are facing trial on eight counts bordering on alleged culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of the public peace among other charges, to which they both pleaded not guilty on September 29.

The IMN leader and his wife have been in detention since their arrest in December 2015 following a bloody clash between the Shiites and soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The charges were filed against them by the Kaduna State government.