Oil blast suspects’ trial presses on

The penal court postponed the oil blast suspects’ trial sessions to until April 18 because of the suspects’ misbehavior. They were speaking together and refused to listen to the court procedures. 

In a special release, the first suspect, Abu Bakr al-Rabiee, brother of fugitive Fuaz al-Rabiee, an al-Qaeda leader in Yemen who died in a gun fire with the security in Sana’a governorate, said that the prison authorities mistreated them by denying them medicines, preventing them from going to the bath at certain times, and not allowing them to be  subjected to sunlight.

The judge asked the suspects’ lawyer, Mohammed al-Warafi, to present the medical reports of his clients Emad Shah, Amiradin al-Waraqi and Ibrahim al-Sakhi, but he answered that the report is attached to primary file. However, he submitted a copy of the report, mentioning that suspect Emad Ahmed Shah’s age is 15 years. 

The report which is dated for March 3, 2005 reads that he suffers from minor epileptic fits and needs to take medicines regularly for two years. The lawyer added that the suspect was sent by the primary court to a doctor who filed this report. The lawyer added that the medical reports of his clients al-Sakhi and al-Warafi were attached with the report. 

The prosecution manager, Saeed al-Aqil, said that they should not allow a detention which endangers a suspect’s life. Supect Ibrahim Abid said that he was was taken twice to the hospital because he was suffering hypertension, which is a result of blindness and can lead to a blood clot or death. 

Abu Bakr al-Rabiee’s lawyer, Abuafudl al-Riashi, submitted an appeal petition saying that the primary court’s ruling is against Shariah and law because it depended on the suspects’ testimonies against each other, citing article 36 which prevents using a suspect’s testimony.  

The court asked lawyer Sadiq Mofareh to respond to his client Jamil Mufari’s appeal. He said that his client was taken with his young sister on October 18 of 2006 by a group of political security. His siter was later returned home on the same day but was detained at the security for two months in contradiction to the law which stipulates that detainment may only last 24 hours. He was interrogated by the prosecution until November 29, 2006. 

The prosecution depended their charges on the fact that the suspect participated in a criminal armed gang, endangering public security and attack foreigners living in Yemen, however the prosecution reports do not contain any punishable criminal actions. The court also charged the suspect with another crime of hiding of convicting fugitives and sentenced him to two and a half years imprisonment.  

The court stooped the suspects’ lawyer and postponed the session until April 18 because of the suspects’ misbehavior.

The court also postponed the case for ruling on May 12 of Saleh Mohammed Salem ba-Alawi who has been accused of attacking the American Embassy.

The specialized penal court, presided over by Judge Muhsin Alwan also sentenced to death suspect   Mohammed Hussein al-Wjih for hurling a bomb in front of Sana’a University, killing two and injuring 25, on February 2. The court also obliged him to pay fines to the injured in addition to court expenses.

Related Content

•  Cabinet raises allocation of domestic consumption of diesel to 40,000 metric tons
•  Supreme Court postpones Chamber of Commerce case to June
•  Open Scientific Day for Quality launched
•  Al-Arhabi promises massive Gulf labor opportunities
•  UNHCR high commissioner attends regional conference on refugee protection in Sana’a
•  Appeal obligates prosecution to summon al-Syani case fugitives
•  Four women to be appointed directors of districts in local councils, Minister
•  WB intends to increase Yemeni aid
•  Judgment reduction on attacker of US Embassy
•  Yemen, Gulf get railway project on track