By Aminata Phidelia Allie
Prosecution in the on-going mutiny trial of 14 soldiers, currently standing before the Court Martial at Cockerill in Freetown, has urged that the trial proceed even in the absence of the defense team.
Gerald Joseph Soyei told Judge Advocate Otto During that his application was based on several reasons, paramount was the fact that the defense lawyers neither communicated with the Judge Advocate nor the prosecution team “as courtesy demands”.
He urged the Judge Advocate to proceed with the matter because “you are competent enough even in their absence to hold the balance of evidence”, adding that it was in the interest of justice that they moved the matter “because justice was not solely designed for accused persons and defense lawyers but also for the prosecution”.
Where the judge did not wish to grant his application, the prosecutor urged him to at least send a notice of hearing to the lawyers to enable them be in court on the next adjourned date.
However, the prosecutor’s application was turned down as Judge Advocate During described the matter as “serious at which both counsel must be present in order to promote fair play”. He ordered that a notice of hearing be sent to the defense lawyers before he adjourned the matter to Wednesday, 30 April.
It was day 6 yesterday and but for the second time in a row, the defense lawyers had continued to boycott the hearings.
Sources close to the defense lawyers, Julius Cuffie, Thomas Beah and Ishmael Philip Mamie, said they were on an indefinite strike because the government had refused to pay them a single cent since they were hired to play on the defense part in the mutiny case.
Even the two private lawyers who were hired to represent 14th accused, Capt. Prince Sesay, were convinced by their colleagues to make a no show in court.
About four of the soldiers were not brought before the court as no charges were proffered against them. It is not however known whether they are still in prison or have been released.
(C) Politico 24/04/14
