VANCOUVER, Jun 22, 2004
CBCnews
The defence of one of the accused Air India bombers
has wrapped up in B.C. Supreme Court.
Lawyers for Ripudaman Singh Malik called their final
witnesses on Monday and finished off with legal arguments on Tuesday.
Bagri and Malik
The defence of Malik's co-accused, Ajaib Singh Bagri, begins Wednesday.
Malik's defence took three weeks of court time. His
lawyers called fewer than a dozen witnesses to testify on his behalf.
Their strategy was to call witnesses who contradicted
evidence given last fall by the Crown's star witness; a woman who cannot
be named by court order.
The woman once worked for Malik. They had a close personal
relationship.
She testified Malik spoke to her about the 1985 bombing
conspiracy on two occasions. In one case, she told the court, he outlined
the alleged plot and named the co-conspirators.
Malik's defence witnesses challenged her version of
events. The accused didn't testify in his own defence.
On Wednesday, the defence of Ajaib Singh Bagri will
begin. Lawyer Richard Peck will present an opening statement before
calling his first witness. Peck has not said whether Bagri will testify.
Bagri's defence is expected to continue all summer.