Posted by Justice Kumba Sillah- Camara of the High Court in Banjul yesterday adjourned the mini-trial involving the former director general of the defunct National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to October 2018 for commencement.
The presiding judge’s decision came following the inability of the counsels to proceed due to the absence of the witnesses.
The mini-trial came as a result of the objection raised by lawyer E.E. Chime, the counsel for the 1st accused, Yankuba Badjie when the prosecution led by veteran lawyer A.A.B. Gaye sought to tender the cautionary and voluntary statements of the accused person through the 22nd prosecution witness Alagie K. Manneh who had testified that he obtained Yankuba Badjie’s statements in a friendly and comfortable atmosphere.
During yesterday sitting, lawyer Gaye expressed constrains regarding calling witnesses in the mini-trial, adding that the prosecution is encountering certain difficulties regarding some witnesses it intends to call for the mini-trial.
Lawyer A.A.B. Gaye asserted that some of the witnesses are out of the jurisdiction, noting that one of the witnesses is currently in the Republic of Cameroun and he is expected back at the end of the month.
Lawyer Gaye further asserted that another witness is unreachable, adding that his phone line has been blackout.
He therefore craved the court indulgence to grant an adjournment but defence counsel E.E. Chime told the court that his client; Yankuba Badjie is in detention as a result they are constrained to apply for an adjournment.
The presiding judge Kumba Sillah- Camara disclosed that since the counsel intimated that they are unable to proceed due to the absence of the witnesses, she has no option but to adjourn the matter to next term.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to the 9th of October, 2018, for the trial within trial to commence.
Culled from The Point Newspaper