You're reading: Court hearing on Adelaja case fails due to lack of interpreter

Kyiv's Dniprovsky District Court on Wednesday failed to start a hearing on a case against the pastor of the Embassy of God, Sunday Adelaja, and employees of King's Capital (Kyiv) due to the lack of interpreter, and the court hearing has been postponed until Sept. 27.

About a hundred of Adelaja’s supporters and opponents [alleged fraud victims] gathered outside the court before the hearing.

The pastor’s supporters, including some from the congregation of the Embassy of God welcomed him with loud chanting. Squabbles then broke out between Adelaja’s supporters and opponents.

The court was supposed to start announcing an indictment on Tuesday.

The prosecution petitioned to the court on holding the hearing in Russian language, as one of the accused is a citizen of Russia and Adelaja also understands Ukrainian language poorly.

The judge issued a ruling to hold the hearing in Ukrainian language.

In an interview with journalists after the hearing, Adelaja stated that he is not guilty and wants to prove his innocence in court.

When asked whether an interpreter to his native language would be provided to him, Adelaja said that the judge would decide this.

Adelaja’s lawyer said, "The court took an absolutely correct decision today. The case could not be considered in court in the Russian language, as court proceedings have to be held in the state language, which is Ukrainian."

The lawyer stressed that the language issue regarding people that do not know Ukrainian language would be decided under the current legislation, which means that they would be provided with interpreters.

"Today a break in the court hearings was announced due to the lack of interpreter in the courtroom," he said.