The lead counsel in the case of Ibrahim El-zakzaky, the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Femi Falana, says his client has lost sight in one of his eyes and is on the verge of losing the other as he currently suffers from Glaucoma.
Falana said this on Tuesday while addressing journalists after the trial which took place briefly at a Kaduna State High Court.
“In the case of Mallam, he has lost an eye in detention because he was shot at. He is in the process of losing the second eye because it has developed glaucoma,” he said.
He further stated that the wife of the IMN leader also suffers excruciating pain after being shot at. According to him, some bullets were yet to be extracted from her body.
“In the case of the wife, the bullets on her, have not been totally extracted after two years and she suffers excruciating pain currently and therefore, there is no way both of them can stand trial,” Falana said.
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He, therefore, stressed that they were both in need of proper medical attention, to be able to stand trial.
“We applied for urgent medical attention for both of them, 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, prayed the court to allow them to stay alive so that they can stand the trial since they are ready for the trial.
“We applied to the court to direct the government to give them urgent medical attention or in the alternative, to have them flown abroad for medical treatment because apparently, the government does not have the medical facilities to take care of them, having not done so for over two years”.
According to Falana, following the deliberations, the government lawyer conceded and “undertook that adequate medical attention will be provided”.
Consequently, the trial was adjourned to March 25, 2019, to enable El-Zakzaky and his wife get proper medical attention.
The IMN leader is being tried over allegations of culpable homicide, unlawful assembly, and disruption of the public peace, among other charges.
