Kaduna seeks death sentence for fifty Shiite members
FILES – Shiites Muslim took to the street to protest and demanded the release of Shiite leader Ibraheem Zakzaky in Kano, Nigeria, Monday, Dec. 21, 2015.
The Kaduna State Government on Thursday asked a Kaduna High Court to sentence 50 Shiite members to death for allegedly causing the death of a soldier.
The government had filed a five-count charge against the accused before Justice David Wyom.
It accused them of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, culpable homicide, disturbance of public peace and wrongful restrain.
In the petition, Counsel to the government, Mr Bayero Diri said that the offences are punishable under Sections 97, 221, 102, 106 and 225 of the Penal Code Law, Laws of Kaduna State 1991.
The government said that the offence was committed between December 12 and 14, 2015 in Zaria.
It 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.
The prosecution told the court that they intend to present 39 witnesses.
The plea of the accused persons was not taken as the Judge adjourned sitting till May 16.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered 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
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1 Comments
A giant step. I will request the government to look at other treats this may bring to us as a country. But aside from the security perspective. I applaud the government for this effort. It will serve as a deterrent to others.
We will review and take appropriate action.