Shi’ite leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky
A Kaduna State High Court on Monday denied the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, known as Shi’ ites , Sheikh Ibrahim El- Zakzaky , and his wife , Zeenat , bail .
The court fixed Monday, August 5, for ruling on the bail application filed by the Shi’ ites ’ leader and his wife. The court had, in July , adjourned hearing in the couple ’ s application for permission to travel to India for medical attention to July 29 , 2019 .
The IMN leader and his wife had applied to the court seeking to travel abroad for medical attention on the grounds of their deteriorating health condition.
El- Zakzaky , in the application , said if granted the permission to travel, he and his wife would return to Nigeria as soon as they were discharged from the hospital. The IMN leader has been in detention since 2015, standing trial for alleged culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of public peace among other charges in another court.
At the resumed hearing of the bail application on Monday, the lead counsel for the IMN leader, Mr Femi Falana ( SAN) , said his clients were absent in court because of the worsening health condition.
He said the Shi’ ites’ leader and his wife needed to urgently travel abroad for medical treatment. This , the Senior Advocate of Nigeria argued , would enable them to be fit enough to face the main trial. But the prosecuting counsel, who is also the state ’ s Director of Public Prosecutions , Dari Bayero , opposed the bail application , arguing that the Shi ’ites ’ leader and his wife could be treated locally .
According to him , there is no need for the court to release them on bail to travel abroad for any medical attention. After the exhaustive arguments between the plaintiff’s lawyer and the defendants, the Presiding Judge, Justice Darius Khobo, adjourned till August 5, 2019 for ruling on the bail application.
Meanwhile, security was beefed up in Kaduna metropolis during the court proceedings . This grounded economic and social activities.
All roads leading to Court 4 along the Ibrahim Taiwo Road were blocked by the police and other security operatives. The police in Kaduna had earlier appealed to residents to go about their normal business without let or hindrance as adequate security arrangement had been put in place ahead of the trial.
The command ’s Public Relations Officer , DSP Yakubu Sabo, said that, “ The peace loving and law abiding people of Kaduna State are to note that adequate security has been put in place for a hitch - free court appearance .
“ As part of the strategies put in place for a smooth process of the trial , there will be traffic diversion on Independence way, Bida Road and all roads leading to Ibrahim Taiwo Road . ”
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