The 5th Criminal Chamber of the Tunis Court of First Instance on Tuesday decided to postpone the trial in the assassination of opposition leader Chokri Belaid until February 23, 2024, a TAP journalist on the scene learned. This decision was made to allow the appointment of a second lawyer for accused Amine Guesmi, following a procedural malfunction and the request made by accused Riadh Ouertani to be heard in writing. A petition was lodged by the latter from the Mornaguia prison to the president of the chamber to allow the court access to the data he had refused to disclose during the trial. Defence team member Imene Bejaoui said that the procedural malfunction consisted in the failure of the president of the criminal chamber to inform the regional section of lawyers in accordance with the decree-law organising the bar. She added that a lawyer had been appointed to defend accused Mohamed Guesmi after consultation with the Bar Association. All the defendants were present before the criminal court on Tuesd ay, with the exception of Mohamed Aouadi, Ezzedine Abdellaoui, Mohamed Amri and Ahmed Mekni alias "Somali," who were taken from prison but refused to attend the hearing, preferring to wait in the court's holding cell. These defendants were heard in previous trials, with the exception of Abdellaoui, who still refuses to be interrogated. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse The Assembly members of Keta Municipal Assembly in the Volta region have failed to elect their Presiding Member for the third consecutive time after the Assembly's recent inauguration. At the end of polls, 17 voted yes with 11 No, and 5 rejected for Mr Wisdom Seadey, who went unopposed after Mr Promise Kofi Baccah, his main contender had withdrawn from the race. Mr Rojah Avorgbedor, the Electoral Commission Officer at Keta, told the Ghana News Agency that the results did not give Mr Seadey the required two-thirds majority to occupy the Presiding Membership seat. He explained that the act governing the election stipulated that, where the candidates for the Presiding Member position failed to attain two-thirds of the Assembly members on two consecutive run-offs within ten days after the first run-off, the candidates shall be put aside for a fresh nomination. 'Both Mr Baccah and Mr Seadey are not eligible to participate in fresh nominations unless no other member shows interest,' he stated. He said it would be difficult for the assembly to get a Presiding Member if none of the assembly members failed to contest in the next meeting. He said there was the need to open fresh nominations for those who have an interest in contesting. Some residents, who witnessed the event, described the development as disappointing, saying, 'it would delay the development agenda of the area. Meanwhile, Mr Seadey, in an interaction with the GNA after the election, expressed disappointment about the outcome of the polls. He, however, pledged to work tirelessly with any other person who would occupy the vacant position. 'I am a bit disappointed about the result, especially the rejected votes. l was not expecting a member of this higher house to spoil a vote.' Before he decided to withdraw, Mr Baccah gathered 13 votes at two consecutive meetings as against 20 for Mr Seadey in the previous elections. Thirty-three eligible Assembly Members, including 22 elected assembly members, 10 government appointees, and the Municipal Chief exe cutive (MCE) took part in the exercise. The house had been adjourned until further notice. Some assembly members, the GNA engaged, expressed worry about their inability to ensure a successful exercise. Source: Ghana News Agency