Kaduna State High Court has freed the embattled leader of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife.
Justice Gideon Kurada, in a ruling that lasted over.eight hours, upheld the no-case submission filed by El-Zakzaky and his wife in a case of culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of public peace brought against them by the Kaduna state government.
The judge held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendants.
The couple have 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.
They were brought to court on Wednesday morning by officials of the Nigerian Correctional service amidst tight security.
Channels Television reports that their lead counsel, Mr Femi Falana, SAN 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 therefore urged the court to dismiss the charges brought against the couple, insisting there was no criminal case that has been established against them so far by the Kaduna State Government.