50 Shiite members face death sentence
– Kaduna government asks court to sentence 50 Shiite members following the death of a soldier
– The government presents a five court charge before Justice David Wyom
– Court adjourns case till May 16
The Kaduna state government on Thursday, April 21, urged a Kaduna High Court to sentence 50 Shiite members to death for allegedly causing the death of a soldier, NAN reports.
In a five court charge before Justice David Wyom, the government accused them of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, culpable homicide, disturbance of public peace and wrongful restrain.
Bayero Diri, the counsel to the government said that the offences are punishable under Sections 97, 221, 102, 106 and 225 of the Penal Code Law, Laws of Kaduna state 1991.
According to him, the offence was committed between December 12 and 14, 2015 in Zaria.
The Kaduna government alleged that the suspects among other things shot dead one Cpl. Yakubu Dankaduna of the Nigerian Army “with a gun when he alighted from the convoy to disperse the IMN members.”
Section 102 of the penal code prescribes death sentence for such offence.
READ ALSO: Amnesty International says Nigerian army slaughtered 347
Judge Wyom could however not take the plea of the accused persons as he adjourned sitting till May 16.
It was learnt that the 50 suspects were among the 265 persons currently in custody, who were arrested during the Shiites clash with the Army on Dec. 12 and Dec. 14, 2015.
On Saturday, December 12, 2015, a road which is the only artery out of Zaria, Kaduna state, towards Sokoto state, was reportedly obstructed by the Shiites. Seconds after, Lt. General Buratai, the army chief’s convoy came down to negotiate a passage, but was unsuccessful.
According to the army, Lt. General Buratai himself then alighted from his vehicle to negotiate passage, and this was when the alleged stoning and murder attempt began.
Later reports suggested that over the following two days, the army attacked Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the leader of the Shiites, at his residence.
Sources say there were gunshots and explosions through the day and night, and by the end of Sunday, December 13, reports came through that Muhammad Turi, Zakzaky’s deputy, had been killed.
READ ALSO: 347 Shiites killed by army buried in secret – Kaduna govt
The Shiite leader El-Zakzaky, his wife, a son and some other senior members of the group were later detained by the army.
Zakzaky was shot in the eye and apprehended before being flown to France for emergency surgery.
Following his prolonged detention, Zakzaky dragged the federal government to court to demand for N3 billion for damages.
Festus Okoye who is the counsel to Zakzaky announced on Wednesday, April 13 in Kaduna that a suit was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, April 12.
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