The Gambia Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice M.M Agyemang, Justice Na-Ceesay Sallah-Wadda and Justice M.F Singhateh, has set a date for the adoption of briefs of argument in the criminal appeal case involving one Yaya Mballow and the State.

The appellant, Yaya Mballow, was convicted and sentenced to death by the High Court in Basse on the 11th January 2011 for the offence of rape. The convict was found guilty of the said offence for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl in Sare Mamadi Village in the Upper River Region on the 29th November 2010. Dissatisfied with the sentence meted to him by the said High Court in Basse, the convict filed a notice of appeal, challenging his sentence.

During the court's sitting yesterday, the appellant's counsel, Lawyer Uduma Oleidi of the National Legal Aid Agency, applied to strike out prayer one and two of the motion filed before the court and sought leave to amend the notice of appeal.

The defence counsel's application was granted and both the appellant and the respondent were given 21 days each to file their briefs of argument. The matter was adjourned to the 17th April 2013 for adoption of briefs, after the appellant files a reply on points of law upon the receipt of the respondent brief.