Yesterday at the Freetown High Court No 2 in the ongoing Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC) murder trial Justice Abdulai Fofanah requested that the defense counsels Lawyer Osho Williams, Manley -Spaine and David Thompson representing the accused persons be changed.
Justice Fofanah noted that in the light of the absence of the defense counsels who have shown no seriousness in the matter the court will request for the change of the defense counsels.
He added that the absence of the defense counsels in the matter has caused the case to come to a standstill, adding “and I cannot sit on this matter till next year.”
The High Court Judge emphasized that he would make it known to the Master and Registrar about the attitude of counsels who have not been cooperating with the court so far.
Defense counsels are absenting from court without giving notice to the court and they have refused to comply with the court.
Addressing the court, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Oladipo Robin Mason said that the case before the court is a sensitive one and therefore needs more attention, adding “never mind I am in poor health condition but still I come to court.”
Mason also stated he would make this known to the Master and Registrar about the behavior of defense counsels.
The DPP asked the court to adjourn the matter for two weeks which was granted by the court.
After the pronouncement of this, the mood of the families of the seven accused changed as they were expecting their Lawyers to be in court.
It would be recalled that last month the DPP asked the court to close his prosecution as witnesses have given evidence in the trial.
Lawyer Spain then applied to the court that he needed to cross-examine two of the witnesses.
Since then he has not been coming to court to proceed with the matter.
ADVERTISEMENT