Absence of Prosecution witness Hinders Lang Conteh’s Trial

By Mamadou Dem The absence of a prosecution witness in the theft trial involving Mr. Lang Conteh, the former Managing Director of Kanilai Family Farm, has led to the adjournment of the matter for the second time. When the case resumed for continuation of hearing on Monday, 8 September, 2014, before acting Principal Magistrate, Lamin Mbaye Sr., the police prosecutor Alieu Faye applied under Section 226 of the Criminal Procedure Code for the matter to be adjourned on the grounds that the witness was sick and therefore could not be available in court. “We urged the court to accommodate us for an adjournment, we will proceed on the next adjourned date,” he told the Court. Counsel for the accused, Lamin Mboge, did not object to the application sought by the prosecuting officer representing the Inspector General of Police (IGP). The case will resume on Wednesday, September 10,2014, for continuation. Readers would recall that Mr. Conteh is standing trial on a single count charge of ‘theft’, contrary to the laws of The Gambia. He denied the charge. The  case which is presided over by acting Principal Magistrate Lamin Mbaye Sr., alleged that the accused sometimes in 2012-2013 respectively, in the city of Banjul, stole the sum of “one million five hundred and thirty eight thousand eight hundred and four dalasis ninety-five bututs (D1,538,804.95) being property of Kanalai Family Farm, thereby committed an offence.]]>