Arrest warrant for accused in trial of six alleged protesters

(Wednesday July 20, 2016 Issue)

Magistrate Abeke of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court yesterday ordered for the arrest of Sukai Dahaba, who has absconded, in the case of six UDP alleged protesters.

He also ordered the arrest of her surety, one Momodou Dahaba.

He made the orders following the application made by the state counsel, Sheriff Kumba Jobe, for the arrest of Sukai Dahaba and her surety.

Sukai Dahaba, along with Isatou Saidy, Lele Bojang, Kaddy Samateh, Fatoumatta Sarr and Amie Touray, were earlier brought before the court to answer to charges of conspiracy, unlawful assembly, riot, incitement of violence, riotously interfering with vehicles, holding procession without a permit and disobeying an order to disperse from an unlawful procession.

Sukai Dahaba has not been coming to the past court sittings.

When the case was called, Sheriff Kumba Jobe said he was representing the state along with A. Sambou.

Lawyer Amie Jobe told the court that she was representing the accused persons.

She then applied to the court for a stand down, because Isatou Saidy was not in court, adding that the accused was on her way to the court.

The state counsel did not oppose the application made by the defence counsel.

The application was granted and the case was stood down.

Isatou Saidy later walked into the courtroom.

When the case resumed, the state counsel told the court that the fourth accused, Sukai Dahaba, was absent and the court made an order for her surety to be arrested to show cause why he should not forfeit the bail bond to the state.

He said several attempts had been made to have the surety in court, but to no avail.

They tried to locate his address and house where he lives, without success.

They also tried to look for him at the restaurant where he works.

Jobe added that Dahaba’s address is Latrikunda German, and this is a big place which has no street names and address.

He further stated that if a specific place or compound was not identified, it would create problems for future reference.

These were the same problems they encountered to trace him, he told the court.

In the same vein, he continued, some time last week, they were at the high court on a similar matter, where the 2nd and 3rd accused persons were involved.

The high court made an order for the 2nd and 3rd accused persons to be transferred to the high court, to face similar charges.

S.K. Jobe said he was reliably informed that the court was served with the same order.

In addition, he went on, they intended to withdraw the charges against the 1st, 5th, and 6th accused persons, adding that the application was in pursuance of section 68 (1) (a) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

He then urged the court to grant the application.

Magistrate Abeke, in his ruling, said he listened to the state counsel’s application to withdraw the case against the 1st, 5th and 6th accused persons.

He also stated that he had seen the order of the high court dated 12 July 2016, and in compliance with the high court order, the 2nd and 3rd accused persons were by the order of the high court transferred to the high court to face charges against them.

He added that the charges against the 1st, 5th and 6th accused persons were withdrawn.

He then discharged them.

The case was adjourned, pending the arrest of Sukai Dahaba and her surety.