00:00The accused appeared today before Judge Advocate Captain Naval Zinmark and was formally arraigned on two charges.
00:07The first is ill-treatment of a subordinate contrary to Section 73 of the Defense Act.
00:13This states, quote,
00:15Where an officer subject to military law strikes or otherwise ill-treats an officer subject to service law of inferior
00:22rank or less seniority, he is liable on conviction by court-martial to imprisonment for two years or less punishment,
00:30end quote.
00:31The second charge is conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline contrary to Section 77, Chapter 1401
00:40of the said act.
00:41This section is broad and covers actions which bring the TTDF into disrepute by people subject to military law.
00:48The maximum penalty for trial by court-martial is two years' imprisonment or less punishment, which can include an emotion
00:55in rank, forfeiture of pay, detention, and so on.
00:59The accused, a corporal attached to the Defense Force reserves, pleaded not guilty to both charges.
01:06The judge advocate has granted a prosecution application to amend the charge report against the accused.
01:12Attorney for the accused, Kirk Cumberbatch, applied for and was granted an adjournment.
01:18The matter will return to court on the 27th of August.
01:23TV6 News understands that before the adjournment, the judge advocate ordered that proceedings going forward will be held in-camera,
01:31meaning privately.
01:32A gag order on the reporting of any evidence or witness testimony heard during the court-martial was also imposed.
01:39It's the first time that the TTDF has convened a court-martial since 2022.
01:45Chief of Defense Staff Commodore Don Polo ordered the proceedings on August 18th in a case TV6 News understands dates
01:53back nearly three years.
01:55The matter only resurfaced after the alleged victim threatened legal action against the Defense Force and comes as the three
02:03-year limitation period for court-martial trials under Section 128 of the Defense Act was set to expire.
02:11Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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