Kaduna files fresh charges against El-Zakzaky, wife

The Kaduna state government has filed fresh charges against Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) an d his wife.

This is coming about two days after a high court in Kaduna freed El-Zakzaky and Zeenat, his wife.

While upholding a no-case submission by El-Zakzaky and his wife, Gideon Kurada, the judge handling the matter, ruled that the Kaduna government failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendants.

El-Zakzaky and his wife were arraigned on an eight-count charge bordering on culpable homicide, unlawful assembly, and disruption of public peace.

The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

They had been in custody since 2015 when members of IMN, better known as Shi’ites, clashed with soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna.

Channels Television quoted Dari Bayero, director of public prosecution, as saying the fresh charges border on terrorism and treasonable felony against the state and the federal government.

Bayero said El-Zakzaky will face the charges that are allegedly based on his actions before 2015.

The director said the court is meant to issue an order for El-Zakzaky’s arrest for him to answer to the new charges.