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State Counsel absence retards Moses Richards case

Mar 22, 2011, 12:12 PM | Article By: Bakary Samateh

The criminal trial of lawyer Moses B Johnson Richards could not proceed yesterday at the Banjul Magistrates' Court before acting-Principal Magistrate Alagba.

The case was supposed to continue with the cross-examination of the accused by the state counsel, but could not proceed as the state counsel was absent from court.

Richards is being tried on charges of giving false information to a public servant, and for sedition contrary to the laws of The Gambia.

When the case was called, the lead defense counsel, Surahata Janneh, reminded the court that the state counsel was to start their cross-examination of the accused person.

He added that the state counsel handling the case knows that the case was set for hearing, and if he could not come, he should have assigned another state counsel to represent him.

"How many state counsel are at the AG’s Chambers, but none of them is here," Janneh added.

The trial magistrate in response told the defence counsel that he would take up the issue with the prosecutor, if he comes to court on the next adjournment date.

Defense counsel Janneh told the court that the date proposed by the court was not favorable to him, and was told by the magistrate to assign somebody to represent him.

The Magistrate subsequently adjourned the case to 28 March 2011 for cross-examination.