By Mamadou Dem
State counsel, Lamin Jarju, yesterday, 21st March, 2017 asked the high court in Banjul, presided over by Justice U. Oduma to grant them an adjournment as they need more time to write legal opinion in order to determine the criminal liability for each of the accused persons as alleged in the case file.
It would be recalled that Bubacarr Jarju 54 and Suwandi Camara 52 were arraigned at the lower court in Banjul on the 10th February, 2017 charged with three counts ranging from kidnapping or abducting in order to murder, obtain money by false pretence and conspire to commit a felony contrary to the laws of The Gambia. They pleaded not guilty as charged and were remanded in prison custody.
Earlier, Jarju confirmed to the court that they received the case file from the police but was quick to add that they need time to write a legal opinion to determine the criminal liability for each of the accused persons as alleged in the case file.
Barrister Jarju then asked for two weeks adjournment because further investigations are required in this matter. The application for adjournment was upheld by the court and the matter was adjourned till 3rd April, 2017 for mention.
The accused persons attempted to apply for bail but were told by the court that they can only do so through their lawyer. Justice Oduma added that any application they intend to do should be done within the period of the adjourned date. However, the accused persons intimated to the court that they are in remand at Central Prison Mile II for one month three weeks; adding that they are family men.
Yesterday was the second time the accused persons were brought in court in the absence of their lawyer, Lamin K Mboge. The court gave them a hint of looking for other means of securing legal representations as the offences meted against them are serious.
According to the particulars of offence on count one the aforesaid persons sometime in the year 2013 in the Republic of The Gambia kidnapped or abducted Ma-Hawa Cham and Sulayman Ndow in order for them to be murdered or be so disposed or being murdered, thereby committed an offence.
Count two particulars of the offence alleged that the accused persons sometime in the year 2013, in Brikama and diverse places in The Gambia, took an amount of D400,000.00 (four hundred thousand) from one Yankuba Darboe to purchased arms for the released of Ma- Hawa Cham and Sulayman Ndow.
On the third count, police prosecutors alleged that accused persons in the same year in diverse places in The Gambia, conspired among themselves and caused the death of Ma- Hawa Cham and Sulayman Ndow, thereby committed an offence.
