The trial
of former permanent secretary at the Ministry of Youths and Sport, Mambanyick
Njie, yesterday failed to proceed at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before
Magistrate Hilary Abeke.
Mambanyick Njie was being tried for allegedly giving false information to a public officer.
The case was supposed to proceed with the testimony of the fifth prosecution witness (PW5) Omar Sampo Ceesay, then first vice president of the Gambia Football Association (GFA).
However, at yesterday’s hearing, the police prosecutor, 1st class Alieu Faye, told the court that the prosecution was applying for an adjournment on the grounds that their witness in the case, Omar Sampo Ceesay has just been appointed as Governor of the Upper River Region, URR. Ceesay was chairman of Basse Area Council before his appointment as URR governor.
Meanwhile, defence counsel A.B Gaye told the court that the defence was opposing adjournment of the case. He said the court should expunge the evidence of the fifth prosecution witness, if he could not make it to the court and go on to listen to another witness.
Counsel Gaye further told the court that justice delayed is justice denied, and urged the court to expunge the evidence of PW5 from the records, or give the prosecution a short adjournment date within this week.
“The prosecution is not taking the case seriously. They are always constrained to proceed with the case, because they did not tell the court when the PW5 would be in court, which is very important to know,” counsel argued.
Delivering his ruling, the trial magistrate told the court that in the interest of justice, the court would give the prosecution one more chance, and if the witness failed to appear in court, the court would definitely proceed with the case.
The case was adjourned to 5 December 2013, for hearing to continue.
