Magistrate Abeke of the Brikama Magistrates’ Court has said that he put the Holy month of Ramadan into consideration, if not he would have sent the alkalo of Pirang Berending, Molamin Touray, to prisonon remand for at least three months.

The magistrate’s statement came as the alkalo, who is serving as a police witness in the Imamship dispute in his village refused to answer certain questions from defence counsel Borry Touray.  When counsel Touray asked the alkalo whether he was there when the Supreme Islamic Council reached a decision over the Imamship, the witness responded in the affirmative. The defence counsel then asked him what was the Supreme Islamic Council’s decision on the matter.

But the alkalo replied that he did not know the decision of the Council on the matter. Counsel Touray insisted that the alkalo must tell the court since he was at the meeting with the Council, but Molamin Touray again said that he did not know the final decision of the Council.

At that juncture Lawyer Borry Touray applied to the court to remand the witness until he is ready to tell the court the truth. Touray went further to say that the law provides that if a witness refuses to tell the court the truth, that witness could be punished.

When the magistrate looked at the relevant section of the law, he told the alkalo that he would be spending three months in prison if he refuses to tell the truth. Magistrate Abeke, however, said he has taken the month of Ramadan into cognizance and will not remand the alkalo. But he warned the prosecutor to guide his witness in the next adjournment.

The case was adjourned to 1 August 2012.