The case was scheduled for hearing, but the prosecutor insisted that the chief prosecutor told her that the case was instead scheduled for mention. Justice Ikpala of the High Court in Banjul was not happy and told her to ‘shut up’ when she attempted to apologise. “Don’t apologise… would you shut up,” the judge chided.
Again, when the prosecutor told the court that the second accused did not have a lawyer, the judge told her: “You cannot be a prosecutor and a defense lawyer at the same time. If you love him, withdraw the charge.”
This was after Mr Jatta told the court that he was not able to secure the services of a lawyer. He said he could not meet his family since his previous appearance in November as ‘visitors were not allowed access at Mile 2 prison’.
The judge however responded that it is not the duty of the court to secure him a lawyer. “We have given you enough opportunity to get one, and you cannot get one.”
Mr Jatta in November asked the judge to give him a period of one month to secure the services of a lawyer.
The two men stand accused of robbing Guaranty Trust Bank of D410,120 while armed with a gun on September 5 but pleaded not guilty. Armed robbery attracts death penalty in Gambia.
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