Prosecutor-general Nabil Sadek sent a memorandum to the State Council on Saturday to settle a dispute between the judge and a member of the prosecution in the Qatar espionage trial in which ousted president Mohamed Morsi is being tried along with other Muslim Brotherhood leaders.

On Thursday the judicial board looking into the case referred Diaa Abed, the prosecution’s representative in the case, to the judicial inspection committee following a dispute between him and the judge during the session.

Abed interrupted the defence lawyer while he was asking witnesses questions. His request to make a comment on the questions was rejected by the judge. The judge also accused him of being ill-mannered inside the court hall while making the request.

The quarrel remains between the prosecution and the judge until the State Council makes its final decision.

Article number 243 of the penal code states the judge is the only person responsible for court order and is mandated to penalise anyone who outlaws it, including lawyers and prosecution representatives.

The defendants in the case are accused of spying and leaking information related to national security to Qatari intelligence.

In September 2014, late prosecutor-general Hisham Barakat referred the defendants to criminal court on charges of illegally obtaining copies of intelligence and confidential reports on the armed forces’ plans. They were also accused of intending to deliver the documents to Al Jazeera, a Qatari owned satellite network.