Zakzaky: Fresh terrorism charges to frustrate release from custody – Falana

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has said the fresh charges by the Kaduna State Government against Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife are aimed at frustrating their release from custody.

A Kaduna High Court had dismissed the 8-count charges of conspiracy and abetment of culpable homicide against Zakzaky and his wife, Mallama Zeenat Zakzaky.

According to Falana, the new charges were hurriedly filed in the Federal High Court

Kaduna on Tuesday July 26, in a desperate bid by the Kaduna State Government to frustrate the release of the defendants from further incarceration.

He said the new charge was maliciously filed when the Kaduna State Government anticipated that the ruling fixed for July 28 in respect of no case submission would succeed, but their efforts of the bailiff to serve the charges on the Kaduna Correctional Centre failed as they were directed to serve defence counsel.

“In apparent disregard of the epochal judgment of the honourable Justice Gideon

Kurada the Kaduna State Government seeks to subject the defendants to trial under the Terrorism Prevention Act enacted in 2011 for offences that were committed as far back as 2008. But since the Kaduna State Government is not sure that the defendants would be convicted for terrorism the Director of Public Prosecution, Mr. Bayero has announced that an appeal would be filed at the Court of Appeal against the ruling of the honourable Justice Gideon Kurada.

“No doubt, the new charge constitutes the worst abuse of the