The absence
of the defence counsel, Lamin Mboge, yesterday delayed the trial of former
Secretary General Dr Njogu Bah, accused of ‘abuse of office’ at the Banjul
Magistrates’ Court before principal magistrate Dawda Jallow.
Prior to adjournment of the matter to 4 February 2014, Dr. Bah informed the court that his lawyer told him he was at the High Court attending to another matter, and would be on his way to the court soon.
He, therefore, pleaded for the court to stand down the matter.
Dr Bah was to proceed with his evidence- in-chief.
Counsel for the state, Abdourahman Bah, did not object to the application made by the accused, but urged the defence counsel to be in court at the next sitting.
Magistrate Dawda Jallow said he was not feeling well, and that given the defence counsel’s consequently adjourned the hearing.
Readers would recall that Dr. Bah is standing trial on a single-count of ‘abuse of office.’
Prosecutors alleged that Dr. Bah sometime in the month of January 2013, at State House in Banjul abused the authority of his office as Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service by interfering with the recommendation and posting of Ms Jainaba Jobarteh to the Gambia’s permanent mission at the United Nations in New York, without following the proper procedure of nomination, and thereby committed an offence.
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