By Abdelkarim Jaiteh
After months of adjournment, the protracted murder trial involving Yankuba Touray a former AFPRC Junta member and one-time minister resumed at the high court today before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh
Testifying as the state’s fourth witness, Lamin Ndure a soldier and a former driver of the suspect recalled his enlistment in the defunct gendarmerie in 1991 before his recruitment in army
He further testified that in 1994 while he was serving as a soldier, he was attached to the airport and recognized the suspect, Yankuba Touray as his former boss until prior to the 1996 presidential election when he was later transferred.
The witness however noted that as of 1995 he could not know what happened prior to his transfer.
At that juncture state counsel, AM Yusuf applied for an adjournment without any compelling reason(s) prompting the trial judge to interject.
Justice Ebrima Jaiteh observed that there were no compelling reasons before the court to warrant an adjournment but the state counsel insisted that the court have him a recess to settle a private issue which he did not want to divulge in court.
Attorney for the suspect, Abdoulie Sissoho in defence of Touray cited fundamental rights and argued that his client has been in detention for six months and his liberty is at stake with compelling reasons to delay the trial.
The presiding judge subsequently gave the state a break adjourning the case to February 3rd for continuation of PW four’s evidence.
Justice Jaiteh also gave stringent warnings to the witness not to discuss the case with anyone as a witness of the court until he is discharged.
Mr Touray is being trial on a single charge of murder for his alleged participation in the murder of the former AFPRC junta finance minister, Ousman “Koro” Ceesay who mysteriously died in June 1995.
Yankuba Touray however denies any responsibility and he has since been languishing at the state central prisons Mile 2.