Court rejects three witnesses in Suu Kyi’s trial

by Mungpi

New Delhi (Mizzima) – The special court in Insein Prison on Wednesday rejected three witnesses submitted by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyers, leaving just one remaining defense witness.

Nyan Win, a member of Aung San Suu Kyi’s legal team, told Mizzima that a judge of the special court on Wednesday announced the rejection of three witnesses – Win Tin, Tin Oo and Khin Moe Moe – accepting just Kyi Win as a defense witness.

“There is nothing much I can say. The facts speak for themselves. The prosecution had fifteen witnesses examined and we are left only with one,” Nyan Win said.

On Wednesday, the court heard the testimony of Aung San Suu Kyi’s live-in party members Khin Khin Win and Win Ma Ma, in addition to American Yettaw.

Nyan Win said the court has fixed the next hearing for 10 a.m. (local time) Tuesday but he is not sure whether there will be any examination of the defense witness.

“I think a verdict might be possible by Friday,” said Nyan Win, adding that authorities are in a hurry to get the case over with.

“But we are determined to fight the case in a higher court if Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is sentenced,” he added.

The Nobel Peace Laureate on Tuesday appeared before the court and gave testimony to the effect that she is innocent. In her testimony, reproduced by the NLD in a statement on Wednesday, she said she had not been warned or investigated by the authorities concerned when her doctor reported Yettaw’s previous visit, in November 2008, to them.

She admitted that she knew of Yettaw’s earlier visit through Khin Khin Win and had informed her doctor, Tin Myo Win, who reported the information to the concerned authorities.

“I informed the authorities on 4 December 2008 through Dr. Tin Myo Win who visited me on that day for a regular medical check-up. The authorities didn’t ask me any questions and I didn’t hear of any action being taken on this report either,” she said in her statement.

“There was no warning given to me to inform the authorities concerned in such a case as an intrusion into my residence,” she said, adding that she had intended to inform the authorities of Yettaw’s last visit through her doctor, who would be visiting her on May 7.

Following the pro-democracy leader’s testimony there has been speculation on the whereabouts of Dr. Tin Myo Win and the reason for not including him among the defense witnesses submitted by her lawyers.

Nyan Win, however, said Dr. Tin Myo Win, who was briefly detained on May 7 and later released, is currently safe with his family.

“We did not include Dr. Tin Myo Win as one of the defense witnesses because whatever Dr. Tin Myo Win knows and would testify to has already been testified to by prosecution witnesses,” Nyan Win explained.

Aung San Suu Kyi also pointed out that while security in her house was breached she did not see any security guards being produced as prosecution witnesses.