By Nicholas Bass
The unauthorized publication case involving FatouTouray, the Chief Executive Officer of Kerr Fatou, and Fatoumatta Drammeh of Paradise Television was Wednesday continued at the Brikama Magistrate Court, Brikama presided over by Magistrate Peter Adoh Che.
At the proceed of the case, Counsel Malick H.B. Jallow representing the plaintiff appealed to the court to continue with the case of the 4th and 5th accused, FatouTouray and Fatoumatta Drammeh while they continued to peruse Neneh J. Thompson, Fatoumatta Rahman Coker, and Fatou Jarai Susso to bring them before the court for trial.
Counsel Aziz Bensouda for the accused persons objected to the plaintiff’s counsel saying section 169 of the criminal court proceedings states that, there is no power in the court for one to amend the charge sheet and choose a few accused persons over others for trial.
On the contrary Lawyer M. H.B. Jallow also clarified his application and stated that section 169 (1) of the criminal court proceedings states that, where at an early stage of a trial the private prosecutor has the power to amend the charge sheet. He added that FatouTouray and FatoumattaDrammeh were not charged together.
At this juncture, Magistrate Peter Adoh Che granted the plea of council Malick H.B. Jallow, stating that, counsel Bensouda was inaccurate in citing section 169 which gives the Magistrate the power to grant the plea of the counsel at an early stage of the trial.
However, Counsel Aziz Bensouda also opposed the clarity of the charge sheet of the 5th accused, Fattoumatta Drammeh, and noted that his client does not understand the charge levied against her despite her responded not guilty to the charge filed against her.
He went on to cite section 161 of the criminal court proceedings to support his application before the court. The case was therefore adjourned to the 11th of August 2022 for a hearing and ruling.
According to the offence levied against them FatouTouray and Fatoumatta Drammeh sometime between January and February 2021 published the matter of Samsudeen Phatey versus Neneh .J. Thompson pending at the Brikama Children’s Court; thereby committing an offence.