FREETOWN (TV-News24) — A high court Judge presiding over the murder trial of former Freetown Mayor Herbert George Williams Tuesday in Freetown angrily rebukes the prosecutor and defense team for not attending the hearing.
State Attorney Umu Sumaray is prosecuting Williams, and former Agriculture Ministry PRO Abu Bakarr Daramy for allegedly killing journalist Ibrahim Samura during the 2018 runoff presidential elections.
Lawyer Melron Nicol-Wilson leads several others in the representation of the accused persons.
Judge Augustine Musa in his rebuke says, the trial date and time was communicated and agreed on by all parties — to expedite the proceedings.
“I am not the type of Judge that will be waiting for counsels in order to proceed with matters. Gone are does days when a judge waits for lawyers to come to court,” Musa says.
A juror was also absent for the proceedings and thus, the trial did not proceed.
The judge said he found the behaviors of both prosecutor and defense team — not to show up at such an important trial — very strange, a challenge to the court’s instructions and disrepute to the judiciary.
Musa says people want to frustrate the trial, and therefore decided not to make themselves available at the scheduled time.
“I will not be frustrated in this trial, and I know what to do as Judge. I will not allow people to drag me in their way of doing things,” Musa said.
A defense team lawyer Lansana Dumbuya had earlier sent a text to the court that he was sick, and could not attend the hearing, according to the judge — he was represented by a junior lawyer.
Lead counsel Melron Nicol-Wilson however entered the courtroom later — but was told by the judge he was already late and the case was adjourned to Tuesday, September 15, 2020.
Musa, juxtaposing the attorneys’ behaviors, says, proverbially, every day, people are complaining that the court’s handling of matter is slow thus, delaying justice.
