Observer Editor, Mbye Bittaye trial suffers setback

When the case was mentioned, the state counsel, A.M. Yusuf, informed the court that the first accused person was at the High Court for his application to be granted bail.

He further stated that from the records of the court, the prosecution’s first witness, PW1, gave his evidence-in-chief.

However, he said, PW1 was out of the jurisdiction on official mission, adding that he did not want to make the court’s record untidy, which was why he was calling his witnesses one after the other.

He then applied for an adjournment to enable PW1 to continue his testimony when the case comes back on 30 April 2013, after defence counsel, S. Gaye, said they did not know when PW1 would be back.

Defence counsel E. Jah rose and said that he was not opposing the application made by the state counsel, and stated that they should come back to court after one week.

Earlier, he made his representation for Alagie Jobe, the first accused.

Defence counsel, S. Gaye, also added his voice for adjournment of the case.

Magistrate Abeke then adjourned the case to 30 April 2013, and said the order of the court relating to the first accused was extended.

Alhagie Jobe was charged with seven accounts of making an act with a seditious intention, seditious publication, possession of seditious publication, forgery, making documents without authority, false information and reckless and negligent act, while Mbye Bittaye was charged with unlawful inquiries relating to the possibility of forgery.