By Arret Jatta
The High Court in Banjul has been informed that a new state lawyer will take over all matters previously handled by State Counsel SL Jobarteh including former Lands minister Abba Sanyang’s case.
This follows what the Director of Public Prosecutions described as an “unfortunate incident” involving the counsel and the presiding judge, Justice Ebrima Jaiteh last week.
At the last hearing of the Sanyang’s case, Counsel Jobarteh had applied for an adjournment, informing the court that he needed further instructions from his superiors before proceeding with the matter.
When the case resumed yesterday, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) told the court that the counsel who was handling the case was currently unavailable due to the incident that occurred in court last week. He further stated that arrangements were being made for another state lawyer to be properly briefed to take over the matter and all other cases previously handled by Jobarteh
The counsel for the first accused opposed the application for adjournment. He argued that during the last sitting, Jobarteh had informed the court that he needed consultations with senior officials in the Attorney General’s Chambers, including the DPP, for further instructions.
Sanyang questioned why the DPP could not proceed with the matter, noting that the DPP supervises all state prosecutions.
In response, the DPP said the counsel for the first accused might not be aware of the “unfortunate incident” that transpired between the presiding judge and the state counsel handling the matter, making it necessary for another lawyer to step in.
However, Counsel Lamin J Darbo, representing five accused persons in the case did not oppose the application. He told the court that considering the developments surrounding the incident, it was appropriate for another counsel to be fully briefed before proceeding.
Justice Jaiteh subsequently granted the application and adjourned the case to May 18.
