JUST IN: Court frees Shi’ites leader El-Zakzaky, wife

A Kaduna State High Court has freed the embattled leader of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Shi’ites, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife.

In a ruling that lasted over eight hours, the presiding judge, Justice Gideon Kurada upheld the no-case submission filed by El-Zakzaky and his wife in an alleged culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of public peace levelled against them by the Kaduna State Government.

The judge in his ruling, according to a Channels Television report, held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendants.

The duo had been standing trial for four years on an eight-count charge of alleged culpable homicide, disruption of public peace and unlawful Assembly among others, levelled against them by the Kaduna State Government.

READ: Buhari washes hands off El-ZakZaky’s case, says FG can’t stop prosecution

The defendants were brought to court on Wednesday morning by officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service amid tight security.

Their lead counsel Mr Femi Falana, had on July 1, argued that all the 15 witnesses presented by the prosecution counsel were unable to establish any connection between the alleged crimes of Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his wife.

Falana then prayed the court to rule in favour of his clients and dismiss the charges levelled against them as there was no criminal case established against them by the Kaduna State Government.