COVID-19: Court orders Zeenat El-Zakzaky be moved to gov’t hospital

A Kaduna State High Court has ordered that the wife of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Zeenat Zakzaky be moved to a government hospital within the state capital.

This followed a medical test tendered at the resumed sitting on Monday by her counsel, Femi Falana SAN which showed that Zeenat’s tested positive for coronavirus.

Zeenat and her husband Ibrahim El-Zakzaky are being detained at the Kaduna Correctional Service.

The Controller of the facility, Ibrahim Maradun had on Friday claimed the service is not aware of her coronavirus status because he was yet to receive the result of her test since the sample was taken last Wednesday by officials of the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCSC).

At the resumed sitting on Monday, Justice Gideon Kurada of Kaduna State High Court, on Monday ordered the State authorities to immediately treat Zeenat for COVID-19

Both prosecution and the defense counsel, Chris Umar and Femi Falana, SAN, respectively confirmed to reporters after the trial that Zeenat had tested positive for the COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the State Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Chris Umar said the prosecution did not object to the application.

He said the prosecution had presented four witnesses bringing the number of witnesses who testified before the court to eight adding, “More witnesses are expected to testify on January 26, 2021 being the second adjourned date for the trial.”

According to him, “One of the witnesses who had been promoted to the rank of a Major-General and is now heading a division is also expected to testify before the court.”

El-Zakzaky and his wife are facing trial on an eight-count charge bordering alleged culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and disruption of the public peace among other charges, to which they both pleaded not guilty on Sept. 29, 2020.

Both of them have been in detention at the Kaduna Correctional Service facility since their return from a botched medical trip to India on the orders of the court.

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