Former Somali Regional State President Abdi Mohamed Omar's appeal has been rejected.

Former Somali Regional State President Abdi Mohamed Omar's appeal has been rejected.

The 17 defendants, including Abdi, pleaded not guilty in court on Tuesday.

The trial is set to begin on Friday.

However, 14 defendants in Kality Prison, including Abdi Mohammed, have yet to appear in court.

At today's hearing, three defendants in Kilinto Prison filed a lawsuit alleging that Kilinto Prison forcibly brought them to court. They asked to be transferred to Kality and to have their cases heard together with other prisoners.

The court ordered them to file a written complaint.

The Federal High Court's Lideta Division 2 Anti-Terrorism and Constitutional Affairs Criminal Trial Court, in which all defendants, including Abdi Elen, were acquitted, should be investigated, not by the government, but by the disbanded body. He denied the allegations, saying the allegations were baseless.

The court adjourned the hearing to February 14, 2014, and the prosecutor rescheduled the hearing.

The Kaliti Prison has ordered the 14 defendants to be arraigned today.