Defence
counsel Amie Jobe, who is representing Isatou Saidy, Lele Bojang, Sukai Dahaba,
Kaddy Samateh, Fatoumatta Sarr and Amie Touray, yesterday told the court that
the application made by the state counsel, S.K. Jobe, for the arrest of Sukai
Dahaba, who was not present in the courtroom, was premature.
The
accused persons were charged with seven counts of conspiracy, unlawful
assembly, riot, incitement of violence, riotously interfering with vehicles,
holding procession without a permit and disobeying an order to disperse from an
unlawful procession.
When
the case was called, defence counsel Amie Jobe rose and told the court that she
was representing the accused persons.
State
counsel S.K. Jobe then stood up and said he was representing the state along
with A. Sambou.
He
then told the court that Kaddy Samateh and Sukai Dahaba were not present in the
courtroom.
Defence counsel Amie Jobe then applied for a
stand down to find out the whereabouts of the accused persons.
Her
application was granted, and the case was stood down. Later, Kaddy Samateh
walked into the courtroom.
When
the case resumed, Amie Jobe told the court that Kaddy Samateh, who was absent,
had walked into the courtroom, and that she did not know the whereabouts of
Sukai Dahaba, who did not show up.
S.K.
Jobe then applied to the court to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of Sukai
Dahaba.
Defence
counsel Amie Jobe argued that Sukai Dahaba had never been absent, adding that
this was her first time to be absent and she should be given an opportunity to
appear in court.
S.K.
Jobe responded that there was no provision in a criminal case that provides the
number of days or time for which the accused person should be present to answer
charges before the court.
He
further argued that he saw no basis for the immaturity of his application as
stated by the defence counsel.
Amie
Jobe then rose and told the court that S.K. Jobe should reply on points of law.
The
state counsel submitted that section 240 of the Criminal Procedure Code gave
him the power to respond to any argument
He
urged the court to disregard the defence counsel’s submission.
Magistrate
Abeke then ordered for the arrest of the surety of Sukai Dahaba to be brought
to court.
The
case was adjourned until 11 July 2016.
