By Fatima Kpaka
Justice Adrian Fisher has ordered that the prosecution team in the murder hearing of former Skye Bank General Manager Ikubolaje Nicol properly do their application for a judge alone trial.
Lead Prosecutor for the Attorney General, AGM Bockarie on Friday, May 19, submitted to the high court Judge that their application for a judge alone trial instead of a judge and jury was formal after lead defense lawyer for the defendant objected saying that as far as procedures are concerned, there is no formal application of a motion before the court in that regard.
Lawyer Wright was concerned that all murder trials after the abolition of the death penalty have been with a jury. So, a deviation from that. he said, will set a new precedent that will have serious consequences on similar cases in the future.
He said there’s a palpable inconsistency in this case.
After the back and forth, Justice Fisher therefore ordered that the prosecution go back, redo their application against Tuesday, May 23, and return to court on Friday, May 26, for his ruling.
It was the first hearing at the high court on the two counts allegations against
Ikubolaje Nicol in facing two counts of conspiracy to murder his Fiance Sinnah Kai Kargbo between 15th and 16th October 2022, at Leicester in the Western Area, and fabrication of evidence with intent to pervert the course of justice.
On Monday, May 15, during the callover to commence the May Criminal session of the High court, the matter was assigned to a Supreme Court Judge – Justice Ivan Sesay but was transferred two days later to Justice Adrian Fisher.
The matter was committed in March this year by Magistrate Mark Ngegba of the Pademba Road court in Freetown.