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A court rejected an application to adjourn the trial of five men charged with stealing Sh9 billion from tycoon Twahir Sheikh Said.
One of the suspects wanted the case adjourned for three months to allow him to prepare his defence.
Instead, Senior Principal Magistrate Francis Kyambia ordered the suspects to come for the hearing today.
James Mwangi Muturi, British citizen Aweys Ahmed Mohamed, Zein Ahmed Mohamed, Zahir Abbas Khaku, and Victor Arara Were have denied eight counts of forgery and conspiracy. They are represented by lawyers Salim Ghalia, Gakui Ngachaku, Mohamed Jelley, and Cliff Ombeta.
Yesterday, Jelley, who represents Aweys, applied for a 90-day break, arguing that his client's former lawyer had not given him documents on the case.
“I have not gotten the documents from the lawyer who was representing my client. He stopped representing him. I got instructions recently and I am not prepared,” said Jelley.
But Senior Director of Public Prosecution Alex Muteti asked the court to reject the application, terming it part of tactics to delay the case.
“Mohamed (Jelly) has not asked for the documents and statements of his client. I have them and he can be supplied without delay,” said Muteti.
