By Baba Sillah
The High Court in Banjul on Tuesday adjourned the election petition case filed by Aussainou Jobarteh, the United Democratic Party candidate in Kuntaur administrative area of Central River Region North to 6 September for hearing.
The Chief Justice, Hassan Jallow who presided over the case adjourned the matter after the first respondent Saihou Jawara, who is the current chairman of the area council, craved the indulgence of the court to grant him an adjournment in order to enable him to secure the services of a lawyer.
Mr Jawara argued that he thought that he would be represented by the Attorney General and IEC but since that was not the case, he appealed to the court to give him time to secure the services of a lawyer who will represent him.
However the attorney for Aussainou Jobarteh, the petitioner, Barrister Antouman Gaye contended that the application lacked merit arguing that Mr Jawara was previously represented by a lawyer.
Barrister Gaye notwithstanding pointed out that since it is Mr Jawara’s constitutional right to seek the services of a lawyer, he would leave that to the discretion of the court.
Chief Justice Jallow at that point adjourned the matter to 6 September for hearing.
The applicant, Aussainou Jobarteh has previously filed a petition at the Supreme Court against Saihou Jawara and Mustapha FM Jobe, the IEC returning officer of Kuntaur Area Council and the Attorney General challenging the result of 12 May 2018 chairmanship election, urging the Constitutional Court to declare him the winner of the election and not Saihou Jawara of the Gambia Democratic Congress, GDC.
