By Saio Marrah
Justice Adrian Fisher has promised to rule on a bail application made by a lawyer for Ikubolaje Nicole, a former bank manager of Skye Bank who is on remand accused of murdering one Sinnah Kai Kargbo a junior staff of the same bank.
Justice Fisher further ordered state prosecutors who intend to oppose the application to produce an affidavit and make it available to the defence lawyers by Friday 23rd February this year.
Lawyer Priscilla Wright made the bail application because the accused had been in detention for 18 months and had been facing medical challenges during this period. She told the court that the accused remains the sole breadwinner of his family of two kids, pointing out that his absence has created a huge financial burden on the family.
Lawyer Aruna Jalloh, representing the state, said the 18 months accounts for the fact that the case started at a magistrate’s court for preliminary investigation and that when it was committed to the High Court, the Supreme Court had to decide whether the case would be decided by judge alone or by judge and jury.
The state promised to file an affidavit in opposition as ordered by the judge.
Nicol is indicted on three counts of conspiracy to murder, murder, and perverting the course of justice. The prosecution alleges that on diverse dates between the 15 and 16 October 2022 at Leicester Village in Western Area Rural, Ikubolaje Nicol conspired with other persons unknown to murder the deceased, Sinna Kai Kargbo.
The trial resumes on Tuesday 27 February 2024.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (21/02/24)
