The Kaduna State High Court on Monday ordered the state government to immediately treat Mrs Zeenat, wife of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, (IMN) Sheikh Ibrahim, for Covid-19
Justice Gideon Kurada, who presided over the Court, gave the order at the resumption of secret trial of the IMN leader and his wife, Zeenat on Monday in Kaduna.
Both prosecution and defense counsels, Chris Umar and Femi Falana, SAN, respectively, confirmed to reporters after the trial that Zeenat had tested positive for the COVID-19.
Falana said his team had presented the results of the test before the court and applied that Zeenat, the second defendant in the trial, who tested positive to the virus more than one week ago be availed with proper medical facility to get treatment.
Falana said the medical facility at the Kaduna Correctional Center did not have the needed facilities to treat the virus
“Today at the resumed trial of the client case, the prosecution brought four witnesses including a medical doctor who testified before the court.
“But we also applied to the Court. We drew the attention of the Court on behalf of our clients to the fact that the wife of our client, Zeenat had tested positive to the dangerous Covid-19 pandemic and she is being treated in the medical center of the correctional facility. We applied to the Court that the authorities should take her to government hospital that has the facility to treat the virus,” he said.
Chris Umar, who is also the state Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice said the prosecution did not object to the application.
He said the prosecution had presented four witnesses bringing the number of witnesses who testified before the Court to eight.
He said more witnesses would testify on January 26 being the second adjourned date for the trial.
According to him, one of the witnesses who had been promoted to the rank of major General and is now heading a division, is also expected to testify before the court.
The closed trial of the IMN leader and his wife Zeenat began on November 18, 2020 at the High Court.
Kaduna state government charged el-Zakzaky and Zeenat with eight counts bordering on alleged culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of the public peace among other charges.
On Sept. 29, the IMN leader and his wife pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them. The state had so far presented eight witnesses including two Army officers a retired director of state security service and a medical doctor who testified in secret before Justice Kurada.
The prosecution promised to review the case as the trial continues to ensure that relevant evidence were presented on the role of defendants during the operation that lasted between 12 and 14, 2015.
The trial is adjourned till Monday, January 26, 2021.
