Article 145

If the Court does not order the acquittal of the accused in accordance with Article 144, it shall invite the accused to enter upon his defense and shall inform him that he or his counsel may make an opening statement in answer to the charge and may call witnesses in his defense.

The accused or his counsel may then open his case and briefly explain his defense stating the evidence he proposes to put forward.

The accused shall then call his witnesses, who shall be sworn or affirmed before they give testimony.

Witnesses for the defense may be called in any order, but if the accused chooses to testify in his own defense, he shall be called as the first witness for the defense.

The failure of the accused to testify in his own behalf may not be used as evidence against him in any way or for any purpose.

The accused may not be compelled to testify but is competent to testify and, if he elects to give evidence, he shall be treated in the same manner as any other witness.

If the accused testifies in his own behalf, he may not subsequently be charged with perjury for the testimony that he gives.

Notwithstanding Article 141, an accused who testifies in his own behalf may be cross-examined about any previous conviction if in his testimony he claims to be of good character, but any evidence of a previous conviction that is admissible under this sub-Article, shall be considered relevant only to the credibility of the accused as a witness.