The former director
general and public relation officer of National Drug Enforcement Agency has
denied charges of economic crimes, false information among others.
But accused persons
only pleaded not guilty on 45 counts out of the 90 counts because the defense
counsels request for an adjournment to attend other matters.
Benedict Jammeh,
alongside ex-NDEA PRO Abdoulie Ceesay, Foday Barry, former director of
Intelligence and Investigations at Holgam of the NDEA and Commissioner Yusupha
Jatta, former head of the NDEA in the West Coast Region are facing 90 counts of
economic crime, false publication, false information, abuse of office, and
fabricating evidence at the High Court in Banjul.
The accused persons
are alleged to have, extracted from the monies recovered from the 38, 500 Euros
and the local currency amounting to D6, 000. They accuse persons are also
accuse of organising a party for their operatives, which monies should have
been tendered as exhibits to the court.
The charges further
alleged that the accused persons gave false information to the Office of the
President and the Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) that one Assan
Touray was wanted for drug-related offences.
They are also said to
have fabricated evidence that Abdurahman Touray of Pristine Company was wanted
in The Gambia for drug-related offences in which they preferred criminal
charges against him and presented it to the Gambia Police Force which was later
found to be false.
The indictments
further accused them of unlawfully terminating and dismissing the services of
twenty (20) NDEA officers without authority, while in office as public
officers.
Which allegations they
all denied
They were earlier
arraigned at the Banjul Magistrates Court, and charged with eleven counts,
which included economic crime before the case was transferred to the High
Court.
At the time of taking
their plea, lawyer Badou Conteh for the 1st accused and lawyer E.
Jah who was holding brief on behalf of the second accused argued that count
three and four were the same and urged the court to strike it. But, it was
dismissed by the presiding judge, Justice Abdulahi Mikaili.
Jammeh and Ceesay are
on bail in the sum of five million dalasi whilst ex-commissioner Jatta is on
bail on two million dalasi.
Benedict Jammeh was
appointed as NDEA director general in 2010 after the removal of IbrahimBun
Sanneh who is currently serving his sentence at the mile 2 central prison.
Jammeh has also served as NIA director general in 2008, Inspector General of
Police in 2007.
Author: Binta .A. Bah
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