The trial
involving the former magistrate, Saikou Fatty, of the Bundung Magistrates’
Court Tuesday failed to proceed before Magistrate Abeke at the court.
The case could not proceed as the defence counsel argued that the two counts in the charge of official corruption are more or less the same.
It is necessary for the court to recheck the charge sheet as it is important in the court of law not to expose his client to double jeopardy, defence counsel LS Camara told the court.
The state counsel led by Mariatou Faye then told the court they needed an adjournment to amend the charge sheet.
Principal Magistrate Abeke said he would adjourn the case for the charge sheet to be regularised in the interest of justice.
The case was adjourned till 8 December 2014.
State prosecutors in count one accused former Magistrate Saikou Fatty, that on 6 March 2014 at Bundung in the Kanifing Municipality, whilst serving as a magistrate and in furtherance of his duty, corruptly solicited D20,000 and a gold wristwatch for himself from a defendant in a matter before court titled Chimezia Julius versus Patricia Fangawa, under the pretext of settling the matter out of court, and thereby committed an offence.
Former Magistrate Saikou Fatty was further accused in count two, that he corruptly solicited the D20,000 and gold wristwatch.
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