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Momodou
Denmark
11828 Posts |
 Posted - 30 May 2006 : 12:29:19
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ALLEDGED COUPISTS’ LAWYERS COMPLAIN
By Surakata Danso
A team of lawyers on Friday the 26th May, 2006, complained of their inability to have proper consultation with their clients at the Mile Two Central Prison. According to the lawyers, their incapacity to have conducive atmosphere for private discussions between them and their clients was due to the fact that the security personnel would not allow them to talk to their clients in private on the grounds that they have been advised not to allow privacy. This, the defence team asserted, hampered their efforts to have proper and normal discussions with their clients, as provided for by the law.
When the case was called in the overcrowded courtroom, the following lawyers announced their presence as the defence team for the 16 accused persons: Borry Touray, Lamin Jorbateh, Sainabou Wadda, Lamin Camara and Lamin K. Mboge, while the state was represented by a team led by the acting DPP, Mr. Fagbenle Umaru, Ms. M. Wood and N. Sarr. At this stage the court observed that two of the accused persons were not represented by any counsel. The two were Faring Sanyang and Alhagie Nying.
This was followed, by the acting DPP’s application for a fortnight adjournment to enable the state to better prepare itself and allow the two accused persons to seek for a lawyer. In their response to the application of the acting DPP, the members of the defence team submitted that the fortnight adjournment as applied for by the state is too long. They cited section 162 of the CPC dealing with adjournment, which clearly spelt out that for the detained prisoners, the period of adjournment, should not exceed 7 days and for bailed accused persons, the period is two weeks.
The acting DPP in reply, expressed to the court that his information is that prison officers must not be allowed to be away from a prisoner further than a hearing distance. On the issue of adjournment, Mr. Fagbenle cited section 226 of the CPC and lamented further that the law cited by the defence deals with preliminary trials.
In her ruling the trial Judge, Justice Monagen, gave an adjournment of a fourth night and made the following orders: (1) That she would meet with both the defence and the prosecution on the 2nd June 2006 to sort out the issues regarding both parties; (2) that on the 9th June, the trial proper will take off. This, the trial Judge said, would enable both the two accused persons to have counsels and the state to sort out whatever they may require. On the issue of the defence team having proper access to their clients, Justice Monagen ordered that she would meet with both the defence and the state in her chambers to resolve the matter.
Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 41/2006, 29-31 May 2006
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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