Court acquits 91 Shi’ites

Justice Hajaratu Gwada of Kaduna High Court on Friday discharged and acquitted 91 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiites, many of whom have been detained in prison since 2015.

IMN counsel, Barrister Maxwell Kyon, told reporters his clients were charged of culpable homicide punishable with death, criminal conspiracy and disturbance of peace.

He said the state failed to proof their case beyond reasonable doubt, hence he filed a no- case submission before Justice Gwada, which was granted.

He lamented the system held the individuals in custody for no case whatsoever for that long, stressing that some of them lost their children, wives, admission in tertiary institution while in custody.

He said Kaduna State must take responsibility of rehabilitating his clients for keeping them in prison for four years for no case.

“The government should engage with us and come out with a figure as compensation for those whose four years in detention at the Correctional Centre has been wasted.

“The government made those people to be arrested and remanded in prison. We want government to take responsibility for the dislocation of these people for four years. Many lost their jobs, some lost admissions in tertiary institutions and I know of one whose wife left while he was in prison,” he said.

On how much was been demanded as compensation for the acquitted IMN members, he said it is not an issue of issuing out a blank figure but each has a peculiar case, making each person affected uniquely.