The lack of a magistrate in one of the courtrooms at the Brikama Magistrates’ Court is having an adverse effect on the progress of certain cases in that court.

One of such cases is that of the trial of the former UDP candidate for Kombo East alongside Buba Darboe, Maimuna Jobarteh, Jerreh Fatty and others. Their case was yesterday stalled not that they or the prosecutor were absent but that there was no magistrate to preside over their case following the unceremonious departure of former magistrate Assan Martin from the magistracy. The void created by ex-magistrate Martin was yet to be filled as we go to press and this means frustration and inconvenience to litigants, yearning for justice to be done without delay.

Mr. Lamin R. Darboe and co. were arrested in Pirang village shortly after the results were announced in the Kombo East bye-election sometime last year. They were remanded in police custody and charged with assault, causing actual bodily harm, a charge they deny.