The high court in Brikama yesterday adjourned the case involving former senior officials at the ministry of agriculture, who are being tried on five counts of economic crime, two counts of negligence of official duty and three counts of uttering false documents.
They are Alhagie Bakary Trawally, former permanent secretary, KeKoI Kuyateh, former deputy permanent secretary, Dr Amadou Sowe, former permanent secretary, Dr Mustapha Ceesay, former deputy director general of NARI, Awa Saye Touray, former supplies officer, Modou Lamin Ceesay, businessman, Momodou Mbye Jabang , former program coordinator, Yusupha Jawara and Seedy Jarju.
The case was scheduled to continue yesterday, but did not proceed on the grounds that there was a human rights colloquium, from 21 to 24 May 2012 organize by the Commonwealth Secretariat at the Attorney General Chambers, which the prosecutor, Simon Abi, was attending.
When the case was called, the trial judge, Justice Emmanuel Admadi, informed the team of defence counsel that he had received a memo through the registrar of the master of the High Court that the state counsel was attending the colloquium.
Defence counsel Lamin S. Camara objected to the adjournment, stating that he got the memo, but it was not signed, adding that it was the state which should inform the court about the conference.
He said the accused persons were in detention since their arrest.
Lawyer Ida Drammeh also told the court that it was not proper for the state counsel to be absent from court, because it was a waste of time and resources, since the accused persons are still in detention.
She said the court had made an order for hearing of the case, and that order should be carried out first before making another.
The case was then adjourned till 29 May 2012, for hearing.
