The Sittwe district court yesterday discharged three out of four Arakanese youths who have been facing trial for murder of corporal Win Htike (aka) Phoe Lone from the Military Security Affairs (Sa Ya Pha in Myanmar Acronym).

Ko Khaing Bo Bo, Ko May Yu Tun and Ko Aung Chay were found not guilty and discharged, said Daw Aye Nu Sein, lawyer for the four young men.

 “According to the statement of prosecution witnesses, they were found not guilty. There is not enough evidence to press charges against them,” she said.

However, Ko Ye Zaw was to be indicted for murder, Ko Ye Zaw said that he could prove his innocence because he was in Yangon on the day the military corporal was shot dead.

“I have been charged under section 302 based on the previous complaint.  There is no evidence for this indictment. I was in Yangon when the murder happened. They want to proceed to examine evidence further. So, they indicted me,” he said.

He was arrested in Yangon last December. Before he was arrested, the other three young men were initially arrested but they were granted bail in November. Then, all four of them were detained after he was arrested and charged for the murder.

Ko May Yu Tun said that they lost their rights because they had been in custody for the accused case.

“I had been in custody for over six months in spite of committing nothing. It was a big waste of time,” he said.

The military corporal was shot and killed by an unknown person on 25 September in 2018 at Sittwe’s Wingaba field where a fair was being occurring.

His wife Daw Hmway Zarni Aung lodged a complaint and the four young men have been accused for murder and conspiracy to murder.