A former child soldier charged with public incitement told a Yangon court on Wednesday that he would boycott future trial proceedings, saying he no longer had faith in the judicial system’s ability to render a fair verdict.

Hopes that the judge presiding over a controversial court case involving a former child soldier would drop the incitement charge brought against him were dashed on Wednesday as the magistrate decided to allow the prosecution to proceed.

Several U.S. State Department officials accuse the Secretary of State of failing to curtail the enlistment of child soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan and Burma.

“It is worth questioning the judge's rationale,” Zaw Min Hlaing said. “She could clearly make a decision today but decided to skip to the next hearing.”

Aung Ko Htwe told Radio Free Asia he deserted his post in Shan State alongside some fellow servicemen in 2007.

A preliminary hearing for a former child soldier accused of possibly inciting the public for telling his story of forced conscription as a minor was postponed on Friday as the defendant’s lawyer asked the court for more time to prepare for the case.