By Lamin Fatty
Justice Landing Sanneh of the Basse High Court has on Monday, 13th July 2020 made an order for the arrest of one of the accused persons in the Koina caste system case after the case failed to proceed as a result of his failure to appear.
If readers can recall, the arraignment of these accused persons before the Court came as a result of a clash between people of different caste in Koina on Saturday 25th May 2019, resulting in injuries after houses were set ablaze.
The defendants are charged with unlawful and willful assault causing actual bodily harm and arson.
The accused persons are now Hagie Jabbi, Ousman Gumanneh, Musa Kanuteh, Essa Gumbally, Bangally Gumanneh, Mary Conateh, Omar Gumanneh, Abdou Gumanneh, Essa Jarra, Dawda Gumbally, Banta Gumanneh, Saikou Lenmeh Gumanneh and Dembo Touray
When the case was called for plea taking, Dembo Touray was not present and this was why the other accused persons couldn’t take their plea.
The preceding judge then adjourned the case to 5th August 2020 and made an order for Dembo Touray to be arrested and be detained pending their appearance in August.
“The accused number 13, Dembo Touray is not in court today therefore, the rest of the accused present cannot take their plea,” the Judge said as he gave instruction for Touray’s arrest.
The matter was then adjourned to on the 5th, 6th, 10th, 11th, and 12th of August 2020, for hearing.
Justice Sanneh cautioned the other accused persons who were present that whosoever is absent on the aforesaid dates, his bail would be revoked.
” This is to warn all the accused that whoever is absent henceforth his bail would be revoked and would be taken to Janjanbureh because this case must proceed”, he cautions.
