Thursday, March 17, 2011

Australian co-owner of the Myanmar Times again denied bail

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Thursday, 17 March 2011 21:10 Te Te

New Delhi (Mizzima) – At the fourth hearing of the Kamaryut Township Court in Rangoon on Thursday, the detained Australian co-owner of the Myanmar Times, Ross Dunkley, was again denied bail and remanded to Burma’s notorious Insein Prison.

Ross Dunkley, the Australian founder and co-owner
of the Myanmar Times, appeared in the Kamayut
Township Court in Rangoon Division as the fourth
hearing on Thursday, March 17, 2011.
Photo: Mizzima
Wai Lin, a spokesperson of the Myanmar Times newspaper, said. Dunkley is currently facing five charges, involving immigration violations and criminal assault.

On Thursday, a doctor testified in regard to a woman, Khaing Zar, and whether or not drugs were found in her body at the time of the arrest, and testimoney was also given by a security guard, according to Dunkley’s lawyer. Another doctor will testify as a witness at the next hearing on March 23. There was no information available about the doctor’s or security guard’s testimony.

A lawyer for Dunkley, Min Sein, said they were considering filing for bail again before the next hearing.

Dunkley was arrested at his home in Rangoon on February 10 and was taken to Insein Prison the next day. He appeared in the Kamayut Township Court on February 24 to hear the charges against him.

The woman, Khaing Zar, who appeared at earlier hearings, reportedly tried to withdraw her complaint, but the police would not allow it. Police claim that Dunkley gave the woman drugs, assaulted her and held her against her will.

Sources said that Dunkley retains a 49-percent stake in the media group and the remaining 51 percent is held by Tin Tun Oo, a member of the Union Solidarity and Development Party from Pazundaung Township.

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