Reports from the judiciary have confirmed that Emmanuel Nkea, former principal magistrate at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court, who was recently elevated to the rank of high court judge, has been transferred to Basse High Court as a permanent judge.
Justice Nkea, a Cameroonian, replaces Justice Lamin Jobarteh, who until now was a travelling judge, and periodically presided over cases at the High Court in Basse.
According to our sources, Nkea is yet to commence sittings.
Meanwhile, the trial for alleged murder, involving four paramilitary officers, who were accused of murdering one Dembo Sibi, a 30-year-old man in Numuyel village in the Jimara district of the Upper River Region, is expected to resume before the Basse High Court next week, after it was transferred there.
The officers, currently remanded in custody, were first arraigned at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court, where the case was mentioned but could not proceed due to the lack of a proper jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, sittings at the Basse Magistrates’ Court were reported to have ceased, following the transfer of Magistrate Alagba to
