The
High Court complex in Banjul yesterday witnessed the usual movement of remand
prisoners, who appeared before the criminal division of the High Court presided
over by Justice Simeon A. Abi.
This
was after about a five months break, as a result of the political impasse which
gripped the country following the 1st December 2016 presidential election.
At
about 9:50a.m., more than 25 remand trial prisoners were accompanied by prison
officers into the High Court building in Banjul.
The
courtroom was filled with people, particularly relatives, friends and
well-wishers of the trial prisoners whom they missed for over five months.
Exactly
10:10 am, the presiding judge Simeon A. Abi entered the courtroom, and moments
later the business of the day commenced.
The
first case called was the appeal case involving the state against Momodou Musa
Jallow who was absent, but the state counsel E.R. Dougan announced her
appearance for the state and informed the court that the state had filed its
briefs.
In
the matter between the state against Mustapha Njie, another appeal case, the
court urged the state to pursue the records of proceedings as the records from
the lower court were not ready and not before the court.
In
another matter involving the state against Ebrima Jawara and three others,
state counsel Olimatou Danso informed the court that the matter was at the
prosecution stage.
Several
cases were called and simultaneously adjourned by the court.
Speaking
to this reporter, some of the trial prisoners expressed happiness for bringing
them to court, noting that their visit to the court brought a sigh of relief as
they have been locked up for the past five months.
“I
am very happy to come to court, I have seen my relatives and friends and I do
hope that the court will continue to sit so that we will know our fate,” a
trial prisoner who wished to remain anonymous said.
