FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Fabakary B. Ceesay
11 November 2009
Mr. Abdoulie Sonko, treason and murder suspect standing trial at the Banjul High Court before Justice Joseph Wowo, on Wednesday 4th November, told the Court that he can defend himself, after the failure of his defence lawyer to appear for him on three consecutive times. Shortly before the case was called, defence counsel Lamin S. Camara could be seen having a discussion with the accused person outside the Court house. Camara was later seen walking out of the Court room before the case was called.
When the case called, Mr. Sonko said that Counsel Camara has told him that he intends to withdraw from the case. Sonko indicated that Camara told him that if the State fails to officially and formally write to him to take the case as the State's brief case, he would not continue with the case. Sonko told the Court he would be able to defend himself without a legal representation. The matter was then adjourned till a further date.
Both on 14 and 19th October, Counsel Camara did not appear before the Court to represent Sonko, who was to open his defence. The accused person, the State counsel Mrs. Wood and Justice Wowo, all echoed that Camara told them that he would not continue with the case due to the fact that the State is yet to write to him to officially take over the case since mid 2008. All of them said that Camara told them that he would not appear for Sonko until he gets what he wants from the State.
Mr. Abdoulie Sonko, originally from Berending, in the Upper Niumi District of the North Bank Region, has been standing trial on a seven count criminal charge since 2004. He is charged with treason and six counts of murder. He is accused of part taking in the armed assault on the Farafenni Military Camp in early November 1996, in which six soldiers were killed in cold blood and others wounded.
Sonko is said to have escape after the reinforcement came from Banjul to rescue the Camp from the unknown invaders. Some of the attackers were apprehended during the operation and where later tried and sentenced to death. He was said to have been living in Liberia and later came back home. He was arrested and first arraigned before Banjul Magistrates' Court and later to the High Court. So far four High Court Judges had presided over the case and three different lawyers has defended him since then at different times. Lawyer Ousainou Darboe first represented him until he had a push and pull with Justice M.A Paul. He withdrew from the case and Lawyer Mai Fatty took over from there. He also has a bitter exchange of words with Justice Paul and also withdrew from the case but came back later. Justice Tahir, Justice M.M (Yamoa) Agyemang and now Justice Wowo presided over the case. Lawyer Camara inherited the case as a State's brief case when Lawyer Fatty went to overseas for medical treatment.
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