Release El-Zakzaky now, he’s blind and needs medical attention – Falana tells court
Respected Lawyer, human rights activist, lawyer and counsel to detained leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, Mr. Femi Falana yesterday, at a court hearing, said his client ” as lost one eye and was in need of urgent attention” while also praying that the aid bullets in the body of detained wife of the Islamic cleric which were not yet to be removed, should be allowed to be treated.
It’s a public record that the trial of El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenatuddeen had held briefly at a Kaduna High Court last year before it was adjourned till March 25 while the accused remained in detention.
” The IMN Leader Ibraheem El-Zakzaky is currently facing trial over allegations of unlawful assembly, disruption of public peace and culpable homicide filed against him by Kaduna State government and has been in detention since December 2015, after his members clashed with the military in Zaria, with the Federal Government refusing to release him despite several court rulings in his favour ”
There was a mild drama at yesterday’s sitting as journalists were barred from entering the court before shortly after the case was adjourned, Mr. Femi Falana told journalists that his client and his wife needed urgent medical attention.
The advocate said he had prayed to the court to grant El-Zakzaky bail because “he has already lost an eye and his wife needs urgent medical attention.”
He furthered his remarks by explaining that since their arrest, both have not been given adequate medical attention, arguing that the duo could only stand trial if they were healthy and alive.
According to Falana, “We have applied for urgent medical attention for both of them (El-Zakzaky and his wife), on the grounds that since both of them were shot by the Army on December 14, 2015, they have not been given adequate medical attention.
“We, therefore, pray the court allow them to remain alive so as to stand trial, since they are ready for the trial ”.
Continuing the address, “In the case of Malam (El-Zakzaky), he has lost an eye in detention and is in the process of losing the second eye because he has developed glaucoma.
‘’In the case of the wife, the bullets in her body have not been ‘totally’ extracted after three years and she suffers excruciating pains.”
When quizzed if his clients were to remain in custody of the DSS, he said: “Both the government doctors and their private doctors have to sit to agree on the kind of medical treatment required for them.
“We made it clear to them (government) that they (duo) have to be alive to stand trial.”
All said and done, the case was later adjourned to March 25 to enable the embattled Shiite leader and his wife get medical attention, according to Falana.