Report
Justice Ebrima Jaiteh has adjourned the manslaughter trial involving Sainabou Mbaye and co to Friday, August 5th, 2022, to allow the state to put their house in order and produce the autopsy report of the late Muhammed, who reportedly died after being locked out in a car for several hours.
On Wednesday at the High Court in Banjul, justice Jaiteh stressed that nothing is before the court and he cannot entertain any oral applications, noting that the defense should have filed a formal application for the court to consider.
Sainabou Mbaye is the former wife of a famous local businessman, Bubacarr Bob Keita, currently standing trial on charges of rape before Justice Momodou SM Jallow at the High Court in Banjul.
Ms. Mbaye is charged with manslaughter and accused of unlawful acts or omissions amounting to culpable negligence by leaving Muhammad Mbaye, a two-year-old resident of Brusubi, inside a car that caused his death on July 3rd, 2020.
Meanwhile, state Counsel P Gomez informed the court that they needed a week or two to produce the autopsy results of Muhammed, among other evidential material, before the court.
He told a fully crowded court that they are yet to receive the autopsy report and will file an indictment when investigations are complete.
Gomez applied for 24 hours to reply to the bail application, which the defense filed orally.
Defense lawyer C Gaye subsequently argued that the state should have produced autopsy results, among other evidence before the court, saying the state was wasting the court’s time.
She said the accused is innocent unless found guilty by the court, citing section 24 sub (3a), which guarantees the right to innocence until guilt is proven.