The 22nd court hearing on Friday found that testimonies in the Sittwe district court are different from the facts contained in the complaint issued by four villagers allegedly connected to the Arakan Army (AA), their lawyers said.

Two people from Minbya Township’s Pan Myaung village and other two people from Mrauk-U Township’s Myo Chaung village have been charged under Counter-Terrorism Laws.

Advocate U Kyaw Nyunt Maung said that the complaint states that three children received injuries during the fighting between the Tatmadaw and the AA but the civilian witnesses told to the court that there was no exchange of gunfire between the two groups. The Tatmadaw troops supposedly opened fire indiscriminately into the village to scare civilians and members of the AA.

Maung Myint Hlaing, 33, and Soe Win Naing, 23, are from Pan Myaung village and U Khin Maung,33, and Kyaw Aye Maung,23, are from Myo Chaung village. They were abducted by a military troop on 19 March, family members said.

Soe Win Naing has been charged under section 50 (a) and 54 of the Counter-Terrorism Law while three others have been charged under section 50 (a) and 52 of the Counter-Terrorism Law. Captain Htein Lin Maw from No.380 Light Infantry Regiment filed the complaint.

There are 16 prosecution witnesses and six of them have been examined. Four civilian witnesses were rejected by the state.

The court hearing on 25 October questioned Police Captain Nyi Nyi Tun, one of the two inspectors for the case, U Kyaw Nyunt Maung said.

The four accused were charged at the Mrauk-U Township court on 24 April, but their case has been relocated to the Sittwe district court on 6 June for security reasons.