TRIAL OF ARABI, THE EGYPTIAN REBEL.

Kumara Times, Issue 1992, 17 January 1883, Page 2

TRIAL OF ARABI, THE EGYPTIAN REBEL.

—» The Court Martial which had been summoned to meet in Cairo for the trial of Arabi Pasha assembled on December 3rd. He pleaded guilty to a charge of rebellion. The proceedings were very brief, the Court sitting only for a few minutes. In the afternoon the Court reassembled, and pronounced a sentence of death against Arabi. The Khedive subsequently commuted the sentence to exile for life. It was announced that the Prosecution Committee had decided to abandon all the charges against Arabi Pasha except that of armed rebellion. The committee communicated its decision to Mr Broadley, Arabi's counsel, who consented to accused being committed for trial before the Court Martial without prolonging the preliminary proceedings. The charges, which were framed uuder the Egyptian codes, were having revolted and refusing to obey orduis to qeasQ

revolt, and with having, in violation of the orders of the Khedive, refused to disband his army. Arabi was arraigned at nine o’clock in the morning in the hall of the Old Davia Buildings. Baoub Pasha, ex-Governor of Soudan, presided; Sir Charles Wilson watched the case on behalf of the Government of Great Britain, but no counsel was present for the Egyptian Government. Arabi occupied a seat behind Mr Broadley and the Hon. Mark Napier, and was the only prisoner present. The President read the charges, and asked prisoner whether he would plead guilty. Arabi handed certain papers to Mr Broadley, who thereupon rose and stated that accused had voluntarily, and in accordance with the advice of his counsel, pleaded guilty. There were few persons present, and these were almost exclusively Europeans, The proceeding occupied five minutes only. On the reassembling of the Court at three o’clock in the afternoon Bachsha Pasha read the sentence declaring that, as Arabi had pleaded guilty, the Court had no alternative but to sentence him to death. Arabi’s demeanor before the Court was dignified. The decree commuting the sentence says Arabi will be amenable to sentence of death if he reenters Egypt or its dependencies.