Court stays trial of Italian marines till July 30

Kochi, July 24 (IANS) The Kerala High Court Tuesday stopped till July 30 the trial of two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen in February.

The fishermen were allegedly mistaken as pirates and shot dead Feb 15 off Alappuzha in Kerala by the marines, who were serving as the security crew aboard Italian cargo vessel Enrica Lexie.

Justice C.T. Ravikumar, while staying the marines' trial, observed that it was the right of the accused to get Italian translation of the witnesses' statements.

Their trial is being held in a Kollam sessions court.

Counsel of the two marines had approached the high court against the verdict of the sessions court that the Italian translation of the statements of the prosecution witnesses in the case could not be given to the accused.

The high court issued notice to the state government and posted the hearing to July 30.

The marines were granted bail by the high court Feb 15.

Marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone were granted bail on the conditions that they would provide Rs.1 crore each as security besides giving two Indian sureties.

The court asked the two marines to surrender their passports and told them not to leave the area falling under the jurisdiction of Kochi city police commissioner.

They were told to report to the police commissioner everyday between 10-11 a.m.