Prosecutor replies to defence’s no-case submission

The accused persons Alhagie Ceesay, Boto Badjie, Alhagie Jobe, Kebba Drammeh and Mamadi Keita are standing trial for disobedience to lawful order.

The particulars of offence stated that the accused persons on 18 March 2013, at Farato village, were disobedient to the orders of the Bundung Islamic Court which were to be executed by one Dudu Ndow, the bailiff of the said court

In his reply, the police prosecutor told the court that the five accused persons were charged on one count criminal offence of disobedience to the lawful order.

He said the prosecution in a bid to prove the case called four witnesses to give evidence in support of the charge.

He highlighted the evidence of the prosecution witnesses and said the prosecution had made a prima facie case against the accused persons and urged the court to call on the accused persons to open their defence.

The prosecutor further submitted that when a criminal offence was committed by more than one person, the determination of the different liability depended upon their degree of participation.

He said the offence involved many people in the village but the degree of participation of the accused persons was why they were identified, because they took the law into their own hands.

He submitted that the prosecution had proved the ingredient of the offence against all the accused persons for the fact that the testimony of the four prosecution witnesses corroborated in support of the charge.

The case was adjourned till 25 June 2014, for the ruling.