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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem EL-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat who have been standing trial for criminal case on Wednesday insisted that there is no case against them.
Zakzaky and his wife have been standing trial since December 2015 following the clash between his followers and the convoy of the then Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Burutai in Zaria.
However, the presiding Judge, Justice Gideon Kurada has adjourned to the case to May 25 for ruling on no case submission.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the prosecution closed its case by calling its last witness to testify, bringing the total number of witnesses presented in court to 15.
Fielding questions from newsmen shortly after the court session, leading Counsel to IMN leader, Femi Falana (SAN), represented by Marshal Abubakar said, “Eventually, they called the last witness today, there are fifteen(15) witness. So the last was called today to testify to the happenings and events of the said 12 and 14 December 2015.
“The State eventually closes it case today. They have asked for day to enter our defence. We would be consulting with our client.
“There has been no case submission so far, what we filed earlier on was a motion to quash and trash before the commencement of the trial. But at this stage, the state has indeed called their witnesses and it is our view that there is no case so far established against the defendants.
“Filing an application to ask the court to declare that the defendants do not really have to call witness in the on going trial but to have them enter into ‘no case submission’ because so far base on the evidence advanced this far all the fifteen Witnesses in our estimation had not made submission or given evidence that incriminate the defendants. So, it is an upcase that we would be entering ‘no case submission”.
Director of Public Prosecution, Mr Dari Bayero also told newsmen that, “The State called fifteen witnesses to prove their case against the accused persons.
He expressed confidence that justice would prevail at the end of proceeding.
“The State finally rested its case by calling the last witness, it intended to call to this trial. The State closed its case and the defence had intended to recall to make a no case submission and defence at the same time. The court adjoined to 25th may for that purpose .
“As far as the state is concern, it has tendered all the exhibits, all the key actors, key players of this case have been called and have given their submissions.
“I am very satisfied. We have called 15 witnesses for the prosecution, top are Army Generals who were key actors in the whole saga that led to the filing of the charges against El-Zakzaky.
“Our prayers is that the court should over-rule the ‘No case submission’ of the defence and take pass the necessary sentence as provided forth in the law”.
