Two army officers testify at Zakzaky’s trial

Two army officers testified at the resumed trial of Ibrahim Zakzaky, leader of the of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) and Zeenat, his wife, at the Kaduna state high court on Wednesday.

Zakzaky and his wife have been in detention since December 2015, following clashes between his followers and soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna state.

They are being prosecuted by the Kaduna state government for alleged culpable homicide.

A major-general and a colonel were said to have testified before Gideon Kurada, the presiding judge, on Wednesday.

Journalists were not allowed in the court, however, speaking in an interview shortly after the proceedings, Femi Falana (SAN), counsel to Zakzaky, said two senior military officers testified in court.

He said the army officers were among the witnesses assembled by the prosecution counsel to testify against his clients.

“Two witnesses were taken and the trial will continue tomorrow. The prosecution are not likely to close the case tomorrow,” he said.

“The officers were put under cross-examination and they gave evidence of the operation that lasted between the 12th and the 14th of December 2015, and the role of the military in the operation.”

The IMN leader had on September 29 pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge bothering on culpable homicide.

There was tight security in Kaduna metropolis as major roads connecting the Kaduna state high court complex were blocked by security personnel, causing serious traffic gridlock as motorists opted for alternative routes.

The trial continues on Thursday.