The High Court on Monday dismissed the bail application of Yankuba Touray, the former minister of Local Government and Lands in the Jammeh regime.

Mr Touray has made his third appearances in Court after being charged with the murder of former Finance minister, Ousman Koro Ceesay.

Touray’s counsel Lawyer Sissoho filed a bail application for his client on his second appearance.

But the presiding judge at the High Court, Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, ruled on Monday that “the application for bail is hereby refused and accordingly dismissed.”

Meanwhile, Justice Jaiteh cited section 99 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code that the section undoubtedly gives the Court the discretion to grant bail to any person, other than offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life.

However, in his reaction, the counsel for the accused person, cited section 24 of the 1997 Constitution, saying that deals with the presumption of innocence.

He continued that the accused shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

He told the Court that “every person who is charged with criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until he or she is proven or has pleaded guilty.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba