Defense lawyer Kadhila Amoomo has dismissed arguments by the state that the accused will commit the same offence if released on bail, reiterating that his clients are merely accused and remain innocent as they so intend to plea. Amoomo also says the argument that his client could commit the same offence is aimed at misleading the court and a violation of the constitutional directive of presumption of one's innocence. In addition, Amoomo says this would mean the accused were convicted of the same crime in the past. He also questioned the move by the State to call to the witness box an investigator who was not present at the scene of the alleged crime and not even during the arrest. He said as such, the witness does not even know the charges against the accused and the investigation officer appeared to know nothing about the case or the lives of the accused. The State, Amoomo says, is attempting to ban public gatherings, an attempt which has a risk of taking the country back into colonialism. This, he stated, is contrary to the Constitution and a Supreme Court judgement in respect of freedoms of assembly, expression, speech and the media. He further warned against turning the protests into criminal offences, saying the only members of society who cannot protest are police officers and soldiers. Lawyers, judges and any other citizens are allowed by law to protest and hence should not be criminalised.