By Bruce Asemota
Justice Kumba Sillah-Camara of the High Court in Banjul has ordered that the former officials of the National Intelligence Agency be kept in prison custody until they accord the court the respect it deserves.
Justice Kumba Sillah –Camara made this pronouncement in a ruling yesterday during the criminal trial of the ex-officials of the NIA who are standing trial for the murder of Solo Sandeng, a former opposition activist.
Justice Camara disclosed that at the last adjourned date, the accused persons disrupted the court proceedings by refusing to sit down when the court asked them to do so.
She noted that the accused persons also informed the court that the judge (herself) should recuse or stop presiding over the case.
The Judge said during yesterday’s sittings, the accused persons, all dressed in red shirts with red face masks, refused to stand up or go to the dock after their names were called.
Justice Camara stated that their behavior is a clear manifestation that they are bent on disrupting the court proceedings.
She lamented that their behavior is disrespectful to the court and ordered that all the accused persons be kept in custody and should not be brought to the court until such a time that they learn to accord the court the respect it deserves.
The Judge asserted that the matter would proceed without the presence of the accused persons before adjourning the case to today, 20th April, 2021.
