By Lamin Fatty
State prosecutor, Abdul Aziz Saho has informed the Basse High Court that they will increase the criminal charges against the 17 accused persons in the Koina caste case from three to thirty criminal counts.
The case was called on Wednesday, 19th February 202o before Justice Bakre of the Basse High Court. When the case was called up, Saho made an application for an adjournment to enable them complete the processes of amending the indictment (charges) from 3 counts to 30 counts.
Lawyer Lamin K. Mboge represented the so-called slave class, while Lawyer Kaddijatou Jallow appeared for the so-called freeborn and Lawyer A.A. Saho represented the Attorney-General.
The case was adjourned to 23rd March 2020. If readers could recall, the arraignment of these 17 accused persons emanated from a clash between people of Koina on Saturday, 25th May 2019 resulting in injuries and destruction of structures.
The accused persons are faced with three counts including arson. On Monday, 30th July 2019, they were granted bail by the Jajanbureh High Court in the sum of fifty thousand each and each of them was ordered to provide one Gambian surety.
