A High Court sitting in Kaduna on Wednesday again adjourned the trial of 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 Wednesday sitting before the presiding judge, Justice Gideon Kurada, the prosecuting counsel, Dari Bayero, finally rested his case by presenting his last witness, which brings the total number of witnesses called by the prosecution to 15.
Bayero also urged the Court to overrule the no case submission by the defence counsel and go ahead to convict the defendants as provided in the law.
Counsel to el-Zakzaky, 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.
The Counsel, who told reporters that he will be entering a no-case submission for the defendants, added that there is no criminal case so far that has been established against the defendants by the Kaduna state government.
El-Zakzaky and Zeenat Ibrahim, 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, were two army officers, a retired director of state security service, police officers and a medical doctor, they appeared on behalf of the prosecution team to testify before the court
El-Zakzaky and his wife Zeenat pleaded not guilty, on September 29, 2020, when the charges were read to them. They have been in detention since their arrest in December 2015 following a bloody clash between IMN members and soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna state.
