The trail within trail of the eight former National Intelligence Agency operatives who are currently battling with 25 court charges at the high court failed to proceed yesterday October 31, 2018.
Former National Intelligence Agency (NIA), operatives Yankuba Badjie, Sheikh Omar Jeng, Babucarr Sallah, Haruna Susso, Tamba Masireh and Lamin Darboe have earlier told the court that their statements both cautionary and voluntary were not taken under duress, they adduced that their statement were obtained involuntarily and prayed for the court to investigate their submission.
When the case was mentioned before Justice Kumba Sillah Camara at the High Court in Banjul, the State counsel Lawyer Antouman Gaye told the court that the prosecution is yet to finalize their discussions on both the cautionary and voluntary statements of the accused persons.
“We (prosecution) have not been able to conclude our discussions regarding the cautionary and voluntary statements of the accused,” Lead Counsel Gaye told the court.
Lawyer Gaye submitted that the prosecution will call its witnesses (statement takers) to appear before the court on the next adjournment date.
In response, the defense Counsel Lawyer Emmanuel E. Chime counsel for 1st accused Yankuba Badgie said he has no objection to the submission of Lead State Counsel Gaye, that witnesses will be arraigned before the court on the next adjournment date.
For his part, Lawyer Saikou Fatty counsel for Babucarr Sallah, Tamba Masireh and Lamin Lang Sanyang said he will object to the admissibility of the cautionary and voluntary statements of his clients.
However, Justice Kumba Sillah Camara after listening to the arguments submitted by both the prosecution and the defense adjourns the case to Monday 5th November, 2018, for continuation of the trail.
Justice Sillah Camara adduces that hence the witnesses have not appeared in the court, she will give the prosecution till Monday to bring its witnesses to the court to proceed with the trail.
It could be recalled that the said court has stroke out the cases of two other accused persons names in the trail from the charge sheet.
They are Louis Gomez who passed away while in detention and Yusupha Jammeh who have been acquitted and discharged.
The remaining accused persons are facing twenty five (25) count charges ranging from murder, torture, conspiracy among others. They have since denied the charges levelled against them in the murder trail of former United Democratic Party’s propaganda secretary Solo Sandeng.
Author: Kebba Ansu Manneh
