State v. Kanneh

This case arises from a criminal proceeding in which Mahamu Kanneh was charged with sexual abuse of a minor and related offenses. Although Kanneh was arrested on August 18, 2004, his trial was repeatedly postponed for different reasons, mainly the time it took to process the DNA evidence, and the inability to secure a qualified interpreter in Kanneh’s native language of Vai. 1 Finally, on July 17, 2007, the court dismissed the case on the grounds that Kanneh’s right to a speedy trial had been violated. The State appealed to the Court of Special Appeals, and before the intermediate appellate…