A murder trial jury was discharged yesterday after failing to reach a verdict in the case of a Somalian man charged with murdering his 20-month-old son.
After more than 10 hours of deliberations, the jury of seven women and five men said they could not agree a verdict in the case of Mr Yusif Ali Abdi.
Mr Abdi (30), The Elms, College Road, Clane, Co Kildare, denies murdering Nathan Bakara Andrew Ali at the same address on April 17th, 2001. As the jury foreman said, "We can't reach a verdict we are exhausted," the child's mother, Ms Amanda Bailey, broke down.
Ms Bailey, the estranged wife of the accused, cried: "What about me, what about my life, do I not get my life back?" Trial judge Mr Justice Carney said the case must now be listed for a retrial "with all the suffering" that will entail.
Radio franchise case adjourned
A legal challenge to the award to CK Broadcasting Ltd (trading as KCLR) of the local radio franchise for the area of counties Carlow and Kilkenny was adjourned at the High Court yesterday for a week.
The proceedings have been taken by Carlow Kilkenny Radio Ltd, Kildare Radio Ltd and Carlow Kildare Radio Ltd against the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland over its decision in favour of KCLR last October.
The applicants are also seeking to quash a decision of the commission awarding the local radio licence in the franchise area of Co Kildare to Co Kildare FM Radio Ltd (KFM).
In separate proceedings which were before the High Court earlier this week and which have been adjourned until February 11th next, Kilkenny Community Communications Co-Operative Society Ltd is also suing the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. In that case, an order is being sought to quash the commission's decision of October last to award a contract to provide a local broadcasting service on the FM band to Carlow/Kilkenny KCLR.
Store manager told 'his face does not fit'
Telling a Dunnes Stores manager with 30 years' service that "his face does not fit" did not constitute a reason for dismissing him, counsel for the manager told the High Court yesterday.
Mr Justice Smyth reserved judgment on proceedings taken by Mr Sean Sharkey against Dunnes in which he is seeking to be reinstated to his position as manager of the Dunnes branch at Ardeasmuinn, Dundalk.
Yesterday, Mr John O'Donnell SC, for Mr Sharkey, of Drumnavanagh, Cavan, said his client had not gone the route of claiming unfair dismissal because what he wanted was to be reinstated in his job. Dunnes had continued to pay him and no one had been appointed in his place since he was told he was no longer part of the company's plans in October 2001.
Legal argument in double murder trial
The trial of a 25-year-old man for the double murder of a student couple in Dublin two years ago is today beginning what is expected to be a week of legal argument.
In the Central Criminal Court, Mr Yu Jie (25), with a last address at McKee Avenue, Finglas, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Liu Qing (19) in an apartment at Blackhall Square, off North King Street, Dublin, between March 12th-14th 2001. Mr Yu also denies the murder of Ms Qing's boyfriend, Mr Yue Feng (19). Counsel for the DPP alleges that Mr Yu strangled Mr Feng and Ms Qing on March 12th, 2001, and then returned shortly before 1 a.m. on March 14th to burn their bodies.