Accused in language drama

Thursday, July 17, 2008
It was like a rehearsal at the Bundung Magistrates Court on Tuesday when Senior Magistrate Kumba Sillah-Camara asked Sitapha Marra, an accused who was charged for manslaughter, if he knows the offence he was charged for.

Instead of him to confirm yes or no, he rather acted not to understand the Mandika language spoken by the court interpreter, which he previously claimed to understood .when the court interpreter asked him  about the language he speaks. He said he would rather like to be asked and to answered in Mandika Morrih language

In spite of all the interpreters that interpreted the Magistrates question to him, he  argued and answered in the opposite, until he later said that he can speak the French language. When Senior Magistrate Kumbah said the court would provide him a French interpreter he changed and said that he can only understand the language but he cannot speak  it .

During his previous appearances at the court, Sitapha Marra has been communicating  in Mandika language which he pretended not to understand. When he was asked whether he has a lawyer, he replied in  Mandika language that he cannot afford to  pay for the service of a lawyer.

However, Senior Magistrate Kumbah Sillah Camara therefore adjourned the case till 21 July 2008 to allow the court to provide an interpreter that can speak Mandika Morrih as he preferred while the accused remain in custody. Corporal Sambou represented the IGP

Author: by Yunus S. Saliu