The Banjul Magistrates court presided our by Principal Magistrate Taiwo Ade Alagbe on Thursday 12th July 2012 gave the prosecution an ultimatum to bring its witness or close its case in the criminal trial involving the state against Gumbo Touray, the former director of University Affairs.

In yesterday’s sitting, when the case came up, Superintendent Joof, who stood for the IGP applied for an adjournment on the grounds that the witness he intends to call for the day is out of jurisdiction. The defence counsel for the accused, Bodou Conteh, in reply to the prosecution’s application stated that there is end to any litigation adding that the case has been dragging for so long due to prosecution. He adduced that his client’s liberty is at stake and needs to know his fate because he is innocent until proven guilty by the court.

He further adduced that the matter needs to be determined and justice must be seen to be done. “This prolonged dragging of the case has made my client financially drained,” He stated, adding that he also wants to know who the prosecution’s next witness will be among the parliamentarians and needs all the documents to be available in original form so that he can finish with that witness on that very day.

The presiding magistrate, however granted the prosecution’s application for adjournment but ruled that if the prosecution witness fails to appear on the next adjournment date, the prosecution shall close its case and allow the defence to open their case.

The case was then adjourned to the 18th of July 2012.