Court Postpones Suu Kyi Verdict, Admits Defense Witnesses

By THE IRRAWADDY

The Rangoon court trying opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi agreed today to delay the verdict it was planning to give on Friday and to hear the evidence of three defense witnesses instead.

Nyan Win, a member of Suu Kyi’s legal team, told The Irrawaddy that the decision to allow the witnesses to testify was “another significant stage towards winning the case.”

Nyan Win said the decision meant that “the final verdict that was scheduled to be held on Friday will be given later.”

A defense plea to admit the three witnesses was earlier denied by a special provincial level court in Insein Prison. The divisional level court now trying the case had reversed that decision, Nyan Win said.

No date had been given for the reading of the verdict, the lawyer said.

Suu Kyi is charged before the Insein Prison court with violating the terms of her house arrest by giving shelter to an American intruder, John William Yettaw. If found guilty, she faces a sentence of up to five years imprisonment.