Lamin Jarju, the supposed Alkalo of Babylon village in West Coast Region, made his second appearance yesterday at the Brikama Magistrates’ Court before Principal Magistrate Kemo Ceesay.
Jarju, who first appeared before the court on 28th December 2010 on a charge of false representation and uttering false document, was remanded in custody.
However, the case could not proceed yesterday due to the absence of the state counsel, Abubacarr M.B Muhammed, and defence counsel Borry Touray.
Principal Magistrate Kemo Ceesay told the court that the accused person, Lamin Jarju, was brought before the court on 28th December 2010, charged with two counts.
He said the accused pleaded not guilty to both counts, and the matter was adjourned till 4th January 2011 for hearing.
Magistrate Ceesay added that during yesterday’s proceedings, the state prosecutor was not in court, and did not call nor send a letter to let the court know why he was not in court.
He said the court received a letter, which was signed by the accused person’s counsel, Borry Touray, dated 2nd January 2011, which stated that he was engaged at the High Court in Janjangbureh and, therefore, could not be in court.
The letter, the magistrate added, was copied to Abubacarr MB Muhammad, the state counsel.
The charge sheet on count one read that Lamin Jarju, between 2006 and 2007 at Kerewan Lamin Babylon within the jurisdiction of the court, falsely represented himself as an Alkalo of Kerewan Lamin Babylon, and under such representation collected rates and licence fees.
Count two revealed that the accused, in the same year in the same village and in the same jurisdiction of the honorable court, fraudulently uttered a false document to wit official stamp purported to be the official seal of the Alkalo of Kerewan Lamin Babylon.
The case was at that juncture adjourned until 10th January 2011.
