The case of Lamin Fatty, the Independent newspaper reporter who is standing trial for the allegedly publishing false and malicious information, has yet again been adjourned to 4th December, 2006.

Mr. Fatty’s case was supposed to resume yesterday, 20th November 2006 but there was no sitting since the presiding magistrate, Kebba Sanyang, is now appointed Attorney-General and Secretary of State for Justice and the case has not yet been assigned to another Magistrate.

The case has been lingering in court for months now. During the sitting of 9th October 2006, the then Magistrate Kebba Sanyang warned the Prosecution Officer that if on the next adjourned date he failed to proceed with the prosecution, the court would not only discharge but acquit Mr. Fatty, noting that there were many excuses from the prosecution with regard to the case. He therefore pronounced that that would be the prosecution’s last opportunity to be granted an adjournment.

The case was then adjourned to 25th October, 2006. From the 25th, however, it was adjourned to the 7th but the case could not proceed because the prosecutor was again absent.