Magistrate orders lawyer to file notice of appearance

A LAWYER was ordered to file his notice of appearance before the case he was taking carriage of could be heard in a committal court.
Magistrate Albert Daniels said the process was that lawyers file their notices of appearance before they were allowed to appear for their clients. Lawyer Marley Nandi is representing Rosa Kila, of Central’s Saroa Keina village in Rigo, who is alleged to have posted defamatory comments on her Facebook account on Feb 4, aimed at her de factor partner’s first wife who is the complainant.
Magistrate Daniels explained to Kila that her lawyer had been given ample time to file his notice of appearance, but had failed to do so.
To Nandi, he said: “Not filing your notice of appearance is going to push back your submissions.”
Nandi tried to argue that the police file was not ready and had not been served on his client, so he wanted the court to let him make preliminary submissions.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Christian Iga said the file was ready, but police were not able to conduct a record of interview because they could not get hold of the defendant or her lawyer.
Iga said they sought to have the interview conducted that afternoon.
Magistrate Daniels also ordered that half of Kila’s K10,000 bail be refunded as her second charge had been withdrawn during her last mention. He said her lawyer should file his notice of appearance before the next mention on May 21.