Defense counsel absent from Sierra Leone court-martial procedural session

Judge Advocate Otto During

Here is another report about the long-running Sierra Leone court-martial. One part was especially baffling:

Relying on Rule 86 (2) of the Court Martial Rules of 2003, the State Counsel Wednesday applied to the court for another two weeks adjournment for him to submit his final address. The application was upheld by the Judge Advocate, who however warned the prosecution counsel to speed up his work. 

“Do your homework properly,” Otto During remarked. 

None of the defence lawyers were present in court when the prosecution counsel made the application.

Emphasis added. As Casey Stengel famously asked, "Doesn't anybody here know how to play this game?"