The protracted murder case with Doudou Janneh alias Doudou Boy as the suspect was on Monday held over thanks to the absence of the defense counsel from court.

Doudou Janneh was brought in from the remand wing of the State Central Prison but was subsequently returned when the court learnt that his counsel wasn’t in court.

Unhappy about the development, the magistrate uncompromisingly warned that it was unacceptable and intolerable to allow cases such as murder to drag on. The magistrate pointed out that there was an overwhelming need to expeditiously deal with the matter, adding that she wasn’t in any way impressed with the way the prosecution was handling the murder case.

According to the magistrate, her court will not entertain eternal excuses from anyone.

It will be recalled that Doudou Janneh was, sometime last year, arraigned before a magistrates’ court for allegedly stabbing to death one Sheriff Minteh in an evening drug police raid. He has since then denied any wrong doing.

He is expected back in court on 14 January.