10 November 2011

Court Report 31 October 2011

Big Ears
The day starts with the judge declining a raft of applications from the previous days: no need for an expert from Mogadishu, no need to hear the wife of one of the accused.

Then a defendant makes a statement, in which he describes how he was forced to participate in the attack on the Taipan: he had borrowed some money to start a school. He had arranged to repay the debt in instalments but suddenly the creditor wanted all the money back at once. This was impossible and the only other option for him was to join the pirates. The boss of the operation was a man called „Dhagawayne“ - Big Ears. He had threatened to kill the family of the accused if he didn't take part as a translator, therefore he had no choice but to participate. The defence counsel argues that this must lead to an acquittal and applies to have “Big Ears” summoned or at least interview him via video link.