The federal government has granted leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, and his wife Zeenat access to their personal physicians to enable them appear in court and take their plea at the adjourned date of 24 and 25, February, 2020 fixed for continuation of the trial.
The IMN leader and his wife are standing trial over allegations of culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of public peace, among other charges, in another court.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, counsel to Zakzaky and his wife, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), told the court that the defendants were not in court due to ill-health of the IMN leader’s wife, Zeenat. The trial judge, Justice Gideon Kurada, adjourned the case to allow the defendants appear in court to take their plea.
Falana, while speaking with newsmen after the court sitting said, “Justice Kurada has granted the defendants’ application to allow them access to their personal physicians to enable them appear in court and take their plea at the next adjournment date.”
He said the court had also granted the application to amend the charges by the prosecution counsel to reflect that the two other accused persons were still at large.
Falana assured that the defendants would be in court to take their plea during the next adjournment, especially with the access given to them to their personal physicians. He said the defense counsel were not happy with the way the city of Kaduna was being locked down by security agents every time the case came up.
Meanwhile, Mr. Dari Bayero, lead prosecution to the Kaduna State government, told newsmen that the team was ready for the trial with all witnesses set to testify in court.