The presiding judge of Sainabou Mbye and her co-defendants’ manslaughter trial has pulled out of the case to travel abroad for holiday.

Judge Ebrima Jaiteh said on Friday that he had already informed the Chief Justice for another vacation judge to step in as he would be out of the country’s juridiction.

He adjourned the case to Tuesday for a bail hearing. It is not clear whether a replacement judge would have been found to hear the case next week. 

The Gambia judiciary is already in recess as judges take their month-long

 annual leave in August. 

Sainabou Mbye, Cherno Mbye and Kimbly Dambelly are facing manslaughter charges over the death of baby Muhammad. 

However the state is yet to present its evidence before the court leading to the defence lawyers to seek bail for Ms Mbye and her co-defendants. 

 Reporting by Adama Makasuba