Rights at the trial


What is the trial stage?

If an accused person pleads not guilty, there will be a trial. The burden of proof is with the prosecution. This means that they must prove that the accused is guilty of the crime beyond reasonable doubt. Beyond reasonable doubt is the standard of proof in a criminal trial. This means that there cannot be any doubt (which is a reasonable one) in the mind of the jury (or the judge in the District Court) whether the accused is guilty or not.

During the trial, the prosecution will present its case. The defence will try to persuade the judge or jury that there are holes in the prosecution cases or raise doubts in their minds. The defence do not have to put forward their own version of evidence or their own evidence, as it is the prosecution’s job to present and to prove the case.

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