17. The prompt disposition of criminal cases is to be commended and encouraged. But in reaching that result, the accused charged with a serious offence must not be stripped of his valuable right of a fair ad impartial trial. To do that, would be negation of concept of due process of law, regardless of the merits of the appeal. The Code of Criminal Procedure provides that in all criminal prosecutions, the accused has a right to have the assistance of a Counsel and the Code of Criminal Procedure. Also requires the court in all criminal cases, where the accused is unable to engage Counsel, to appoint a Counsel for him at the expenses of the State. Howsoever guilty the appellant upon the inquiry might have been, he is until convicted, presumed to be innocent. It was the duty of the Court, having these cases in charge, to see that he is denied no necessary incident of a fair trial. In the present case, not only the accused was denied the assistance of a Counsel during the trial and such designation of Counsel, as was attempted at a late stage, was either so indefinite or so close upon the trial as to amount to a denial of effective and substantial aid in that regard. The Court ought to have seen to it that in the proceedings before the Court, the accused was dealt with justly and fairly by
