The Cocaine trial involving twelve non-Gambians on Tuesday failed to proceed at the Banjul Magistrate Court, presided over by Magistrate Hillary Abeke.

Mikalive Abdullah (DDPP) informed the court that the matter was adjourned for plea taking. He submitted that he had informed the court during the last sitting

that they were going to amend the charges proffered against the accused persons.

He added that the state prepared twelve charges ready for filing, but the court registry was not functioning, and it was because of this reason that they were only able to file on Thursday morning.

He proposed two things:" (i) for the accused persons to take their plea on the charge before the court i.e. the one count charge of conspiracy so that by the next adjourned date, that charge would be substituted with the twelve count charge.

DDPP submitted, "Pertaining to the above mentioned we can have the case adjourned to enable us to file the new charges". Defence Counsel Emmanuel E. Chime counsel for the Ehraim Michael Chiduben, Barset Godwin, Fernando Varcella and Memuna

Sesay did not object to the application made by the prosecutor.

Lamin S. Camara counsel for Rudy RasoeHamid Ghazi, Juan Carlos Sanchez, Esteaban Zanvalla, Dennis Wingo Winter, Louis Dose, Fermin Eric Bottini and Juan Carlos

Diaz said he is not opposed to the application for the accused to return to Court to take their plea.

Camara said the previous record will not be relevant to the Court as far as the subsequent proceedings are concerned, adding that justice delayed is justice denied.

Readers may recall that the twelve non Gambians are charged with conspiracy to traffic in prohibited drugs contrary to section 53 (1) [a] of the Drug Control Act 2003.

The trial magistrate subsequently adjourned the case to the 7th and 9th of September 2010 to enable the State to file the new charges and also to enable the accused persons to take their plea.