By Nicholas Bass
Principal Magistrate Omar Jabang of Kanifing Magistrates’ Court last week Thursday, 6th July 2023 issued a bench warrant for the arrest of twenty-three accused from Bakau following their continuous absence from the court.
Dodou Kasa Jatta, Muhammed Jallow, Lamin Samura, Pa Lamin Janneh, Alieu Sainey Sanyang, Pa Modou Jatta, Omar Camara, Ebrima Deffeh, Ebrima Mboob, and Adala Ndow who were present at the court are not among the twenty-three.
The Police prosecutor Commissioner Abdoulie Sanneh in his dismay concerning the habitual absence of the accused sought the court to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of the accused who were absent at the court.
He stressed that the accused have made it a traditional practice to be absent, in the court and despite the presence of his witness, they were absent at the court without any reason or considering the conspiracy and felony charge against them.
Meanwhile, the defence Counsel K Camara objected to the prosecution’s application and pleaded to the court to give his clients a shorter grace period for the accused to appear in court while promising to secure the presence of his clients at the court in the next adjourned date.
Magistrate Omar Jabang who has no time to waste regarding justice overruled the defence counsel’s application saying the case continued to suffer setbacks because of the absence of the accused persons, noting that before the day, Wednesday, a significant number of the accused were absent without any reason.
He stressed that his refusal of the application of the prosecution for a bench warrant against the accused persons has emboldened the accused to believe it will continue to be business as usual.
Magistrate O Jabang emphasized that such refusal of the prosecutor’s bench warrant was purposely to give the accused persons the benefit of the doubt due to their absence with reasons.
However, “today they have been absent without any reasons despite the presence of the prosecution’s witness on numerous occasions the case failed to continue because of their absence from the court“.
“I hereby order for the bench warrant for the arrest of those accused persons who are absent and if arrested they should be put in custody of the police pending the hearing and determination of this case”, Magistrate Jabang ruled.
Meanwhile, Dodou Kasa Jatta, Amadou Faye, Modou J. Jallow, Amadou Jallow, Mahammed Jallow, Salihena Conteh, SoryCamara, Lamin Samura, Pa Lamin Janneh, Alieu SaineySanyang, Pa Modou Jatta, Lamin Saho, Lamin Jammeh, Muhammed Faal, Lamin Saho, Momodou Gassama, Alpha Camara, Lamin Sillah, Mass Suss, Omar Camara, Modou SalieuJallow , Baba Sarr , Ousman Ceesay , Ebrima Daffeh , EbrimaMboob , Alieu Jallow , Mam Ngorr Ceesay , Muhammed Davies , Pa Ali Jammeh and Adala Ndow on the 1st December 2022 at Bakau in the Kanifing municipality conspired amongst themselves to commit a felony with rioting and they were charged with seven counts of offence which include conspiracy and felony.