Politics
Court fixes July 28 to hear El-Zakzaky’s no-case-submission
A High Court in Kaduna State has fixed July 28 for hearing on a no-case-submission filed by Femi Falana (SAN), the lawyer to leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenat.
The president of the court, Justice Gideon Kurada, on Thursday, fixed the date after the prosecution and counsel to the defendants, addressed the court on the prayer.
Falana, who spoke to journalists after the adjournment, urged the court to rule in favor of his clients as he has a genuine case.
“The prosecution and the defence addressed the court on the the no-case-submission prayer,” Falana said.
”We did indicate the last time that even though the prosecution called 15 witnesses, we felt that no case has been established to warrant our clients being in court.
Read also: US labels El-Zakzaky, wife as ‘political prisoners’
”In other words, we addressed the court that there is nothing to defend.
“The court took our addresses and fixed July 28 for ruling on the No-Case-Submission,” the human rights lawyer added.
However, Dari Bayero, the lead prosecutor, disagreed with Falana and argued that the court should sentence El-Zakzaky and his wife who are being charged with culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of public peace, among others.
Bayero had, on March 31, asked the court to over rule the defence’s stance on the no-case-submission, and sentence the IMN leader and his wife as provided by the law.
“We are satisfied with the way the case has gone so far; we have presented 15 witnesses, including Army Generals, who are key actors and players that led to the filing of the case against the IMN leader.
“One of our prayers are that the court should over rule the No-Case-Submission, over rule the defence, convict the defendants accordingly, and pass the necessary sentence as provided for in the law,” he said.
By Isaac Dachen…
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