Further defence witnesses left to be examined in Advocate Ko Ni murder case

30 November 2018
Further defence witnesses left to be examined in Advocate Ko Ni murder case
Photo: Mizzima

The trial of the advocate Ko Ni murder case needs to examine defence witnesses Pol. Col. Win Min Thein and 21 more witnesses. The trial has been underway for nearly two years. 

Gunman Kyi Lin and two accused were produced before the Yangon North District court on November 29 for the 91st hearing and the court examined one of the 22 defence witnesses submitted by accused Zeyar Phyo, Wai Min, who attended the military intelligence training course in same batch with him. 

Another defence witness of the accused Zeyar Phyo, Pol. Col. Win Min Thein, was scheduled to be examined but the court could not examine him as he could not appear before the court despite the court’s summons as he was on duty. 

Advocate Min Min Zaw who represents Advocate Ko Ni’s family said, “Pol. Col. sent an application to court for permitting him not to appear before the court at today’s hearing. But he can appear before the court at next hearing. The police force is currently holding a sports meet and he is assigned to this duty. So he sent this request letter to court to let him be absent from appearing before the court.”

Alleged gunman Kyi Lin was charged with sections 301(1)(b) (premeditated murder)/ 34 (committing crime by several persons with common intention) of the Penal Code for assassinating advocate Ko Ni by shooting him at close range at Yangon International Airport and under section 302(2) (murder) of the Penal Code and sections 19(d) and 19(f) of the Arms Act for killing taxi driver Ne Win. This premeditated murder charge carries a maximum sentence of capital punishment. 

And another accused Aung Win Zaw was charged with sections (302(1)(b)/34 of Penal Code and next accused Zeyar Phyo was charged with sections 302(1)(b)/109 (abetment) of Penal Code. And the third accused Aung Win Tun was charged with section 212 of Penal Code (Harbouring offender) and he was freed on a bail of 50 million kyat surety.

The trial has been running for over over one and a half years but one of the accused, Aung Win Khaing, is still at large.

The court fixed the next hearing for today when it will continue examining defence witnesses submitted by accused Zeyar Phyo.

In this assassination case, alleged gunman Kyi Lin shot advocate Ko Ni at close range at Yangon International Airport on November 29, 2017 at about 5 p.m. and then he also killed taxi driver Ne Win while the taxi driver was trying to catch him in pursuit.