The trial of Afshin Maleki Ighani continues to be plagued by delays.
Maleki Ighani is charged with a string of offences related to armed kidnapping on April 22, 2017.
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The Supreme Court trial returned to a Penticton court on Nov.20, but Ighani, who is representing himself, said he was unable to make a submission on whether he would cross-examine a witness because he was couldn鈥檛 operate court discs with recordings from previous dates of the trial on the computer given to him in prison since his last court date in October.
To move forward with the trial, Judge Nitya Iyer had the recording played in court and ruled the Crown鈥檚 case finished.
鈥淗ad Mr. Ighani expressed concern with respect to the completeness of the cross-examination of Ms. Walker, he had full opportunity to do so prior to his termination of (his lawyer),鈥 she explained. 鈥淥n that basis, I conclude that the Crown鈥檚 case finished. There is no need to recall Ms. Walker. At this point in the trial, it is up to the defence to decide whether he鈥檚 going to call evidence in this case.鈥
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In response, Ighani requested the trial be adjourned because he said he still has not heard the content of the recordings for him to determine whether he could call evidence in his case.
Judge Iyer adjourned the trial until Thursday morning to give Ighani another chance to listen to the recordings.
鈥淵ou will have had that amount of time, in addition to all the time you鈥檝e been provided today, to determine what, if any, defence evidence you are doing to call,鈥 she said.
Ighani is accused of forcing Jodie Walker and Christopher William Gliege to drive him from Okanagan Falls to the Lower Mainland. The Crown alleges he forced Gliege out of the vehicle by gunpoint on a road near Princeton and fired the gun over his head.
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