The
April 14 alleged demonstrators Monday appeared before the Gambia Court of
Appeal to appeal against the bail ruling of Justice O. Ottaba of the Special
Criminal Division of the Banjul High Court.
The Court of Appeal was presided over by a panel of three judges headed by Justice Edrissa Fafa M’bai, and including Justices Awa Bah and O.A. Adogoke.
When the case was called, lawyer Borry S. Touray and Neneh Cham appeared for the accused persons, while Hadi Saleh Barkun, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), announced his representation for the state.
At this juncture, Lawyer Touray informed the court that records had been typed, but the registry had a small problem and that their machine had a slight breakdown.
He said the court could hear from the Assisatant Registrar, who was around.
Ebrima Joof, Assistant Registrar at the central registry, told the court they photocopied everything and were left with the binding of the records.
The DPP then told the court that he had not been served with a copy of the records, and if it was not ready he would not mind conceding to an adjournment of the case at the instance of the defence.
“May I humbly crave the indulgence of the court to adjourn the case to Thursday, so that they can finalise the records and effect service to the state,” said counsel Touray.
He said they had filed a certificate of urgency in the case.
However, the DPP told the court that Thursday would not be convenient for them, because the substantive matter was coming up on 15 and 16 at Mansakonko and that they would not mind any other date.
He said he did not know whether the ordering of briefs could be done in the absence of the appellants.
Lawyer Touray again told the court that the matter was only coming up for mentioning hence told the court to adjourn the case until yesterday Wednesday.
However, Justice Awa Bah told Barrister Touray that “the panel does not sit on a Wednesday”.
In his ruling, Justice M’bai said the DPP had informed the court that he was going to Mansakonko and that the case could proceed in the absence of the appellants.
The case was then adjourned until 16 June 2016, for mention and ordering of briefs.
The Assistant Registrar was ordered to compile the report before the next adjourned date.
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