Arona Tine at the high court
By Landing Ceesay
The Attorney General Chambers (AG) and Ministry of Justice are still awaiting the case file of Arona Tine from the Gambia Police Force Headquarters.
The trial regarding the murder of Fatoumatta Kargbo at West Field, allegedly committed by Arona Tine, a Senegalese national, faces a setback as a State Lawyer informed the court about the absence of the case file provided by the police.
Arona Tine stands accused of murder under Section 187 of the Criminal Code, as stated by the Gambia Police Force, with the offense punishable under Section 188 of the same code.
The police assert that Arona Tine fatally stabbed Fatoumatta Kargbo, an employee of HM Bureau Exchange in Westfield, Kanifing Municipality, with a knife on January 19, 2024.
Appearing before Principal Magistrate Sallah Mbye of the Kanifing Magistrate Courts, the case was transferred to the High Court of the Gambia due to jurisdictional constraints.
Arona Tine remains remanded at the Mile 2 Central Prison until the High Court hearing.
During the recent court session, a State Lawyer expressed the inability to file an indictment against Arona Tine due to the absence of the case file provided by the police.
“The State has not received the case file from the Police,” the Lawyer told the Court.
“What are they doing with the file?” Hon. Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, the presiding judge, asked the state Lawyer.
“Hopefully they are still investigating the matter. We are communicating with the police so that we can prepare our indictment,” the State Lawyer told the court.
“Since January 29 up to date, you have not filed anything. The whole of February, still there is nothing before the court. This man has been remanded for so long now. He did not know his fate still. This is a murder charge, the whole of February you have not filed anything, what are they investigating? From the Police Headquarters to your office, they cannot even bring the file there.