Ex-Parliamentarian Drug Case Proceeds

The criminal trial involving Dawda Manneh, former National Assembly member for Nianija constituency in the Central River Region and Demba Baldeh ex-soldier on Monday proceeded before

acting principal magistrate of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court, Taiwo Ade Alagbe.
Dawda Manneh and Demba Baldeh are standing trial on charges of being in possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, as well as conspiracy. They were alleged to have conspired to traffic 9 kilograms and 260 grams of suspected drug (cannabis). But they all denied the charges.
Under-cross examination, 2nd accused Demba Baldeh put it to ex-parliamentarian that he lied in court when he said he did not know him.
“I know him very well and he contacted me many times for me to help him financially pertaining to this matter,” the ex-soldier said
Baldeh also put it to the 1st accused that he never informed him the day he lifted him; that he was containing cannabis in the boot of his car. But the ex-NAM maintained that he needed not to do so.
“How can I put a huge bag in a boot without the owner challenging,” the 2nd accused challenged but the 1st accused said he did not because he was not expecting that the bag contained cannabis.
He added that the 2nd accused told him he was taking clothes and other item for his family

The case resume April 19 for second accused to open defense.

Arm Shipment Row Victim’s Judgment Rescheduled Again

A depressing look could clearly be seen on Karamo Sainey Fatajo’s face after he was told by magistrate Taiwo Ade Alagbe that the judgment will be delivered Monday 18 instead of the previously scheduled date of Monday 11, 2011.
Karamo Sainey Fatajo, a businessman at the Albert market was anticipating to know his fate on Monday 11, 2011.
He is being tried for what the police called ‘breaching the peace’ by allegedly saying that Senegal will attack The Gambia after Gambia government branded Senegalese president, Abdoulie Wade enemy, accusing Wade of engaging in a smear campaign against The Gambia. 
It was the second time the judgment has been rescheduled. It was set for Friday 8 but was again rescheduled for Monday, April 18.
The reason(s) for not delivering the judgment on January 7 was not clear to this reporter, but both the prosecution and defense counsels were in court. The court clerk however told this reporter that the judgment will be delivered next Monday

‘NIA Officer Threatened to Shoot Him’ - Narcotic Officer

A narcotic officer in the criminal trial involving four NIA officials has told the Banjul Magistrates’ Court that Lamin Darboe threatened to shoot him when he attempted to take two nylon bags of suspected drugs from him.
“He hit me on the chest and when I approached Omar Jammeh he pulled out a gun and fired a shot and threatened to shoot me if I attempt to take the nylon bags,” said Lamin Sima, state no 3 witness on Monday
 Lamin Darboe, Ebrima Drammeh, Edrissa Jobe and Omar Jammeh all intelligent officers are standing trial on two counts of criminal offences.
The accused persons have sometime in May 2009 at the NIA head office in Banjul allegedly conspired to cause injury to the persons of Lamin Kabou and Lamin Sima at the NIA head office in Banjul. 
On count 2, they intently caused grievous bodily harm to Lamin Kabou and Lamin Sima, unlawfully wounded Lamin Kabou and Lamin Sima, by beating them with fist blows, electric cables and metals.
All accused persons denied the allegations.
Sima said he found the accused persons in Brikama Kembujeh after receiving information and directives that there are drug peddlers at the said place.
He said upon arrival, he met the NIA officers and introduced himself to them. He said the 3rd accused insulted him when he demanded the suspected drugs. According to the witness, 3rd accused told him: “This is not your NDEA show and I will not surrender anything.”
Sima added that the officials later left the scene with some people whom they arrested. He said he followed them but the 3rd accused threatened to put him behind bars. He said when he told them that he was doing his work, the officials left with the drugs.
He said they came back within a couple of minutes and took the suspects to NIA headquarters.
He stated that after few days the 2nd accused called him and ordered him to report to NIA but he informed him that he was under somebody’s command and the accused told him, “am here with your boss Bun Sanneh and if you don’t come within a hour, we will arrest you.”
He said he went direct to the NDEA office where he met Bun Sanneh who ordered him to board the vehicle which was full of NIA officers. “When I entered the car I found Lamin Kabou tied and was bleeding. When I asked what was going on Bun ordered me to keep quiet,” he said.
He said when they reached NIA headquarters they beat Kabou with electric wire. “He was shouting and calling Bun Sanneh to come and help him,” the witness testified.
He said Bun and the then Director General of NIA Bo Badjie came out. He said Bo sent them out and Bun said in anger that his officers had no respect for him before he left.
He said when Bun Sanneh, left the officers came back and took him to a small room upstairs and started beating him until he start bleeding from his neck.
“I shouted and told them that I will do whatever they said because I was tired and they say that was just the introduction,” he adduced
He said they tore the statement he wrote as they were not satisfied and later took him to a cell call ‘bambadinka’ where he was detained for almost two hours.
He said he was taken out of the cell after ex-IGP Ensa Badjie’s intervention. He said when he met Ensa Badjie at the conference room, he narrated everything to him. He added that Ensa told him that Bun Sanneh went to his office and told him that his men were taken to NIA and are being tortured
“Ensa told them that it was improper to treat a fellow officer like that,” he said
He said they told Ensa that he was dealing with drug peddlers but when Ensa asked them about the drugs, they said it was fertilizer.
He said he was detained for 28 days and was taken to court but the case was struck out and he was discharged.
The trial continues.

D-Day for Victim of Senegal-Gambia Arms Shipment Row

A man who became a victim of a recent diplomatic row between the neighboring Senegal and The Gambia will know his fate today, if the Banjul Magistrates’ Court delivers on its promise. 
Mr Karamo Saidy Fatajo, a trader at Albert Market in Banjul is accused of conducting himself in a manner that could breach the peace.
Tensions had once again brewed between the neighboring Senegal and The Gambia following the seizure of alleged Gambia-bound controversial arms shipment by Nigerian authorities in Lagos seaport. The shipment was Iran, who is sanctioned by UN to deal in arms and ammunition.  
Amid mounting allegations in Senegal that Gambia intends to use those weapons to sponsor independence seeking rebels of Casamance in Senegal, Gambia government responded by branding Senegalese president as enemy.
Although the issue was a topical one, Mr Fatajo, who allegedly told his colleague traders at the market that Senegal will attack Gambia following the allegations, was arrested and detained at the police headquarters in Banjul. 
Mr Musa Babanding Ceesay, his trader friend admitted reporting him to the police for his alleged comments.
He first appeared in court on December 20, 2010 and was granted bail in the sum of D50, 000.
Three state witnesses had testified in the trial, but Mr Fatojo maintained innocence. 
The three-month-long trial is expected to end today

Binta A Bah Awarded Daily News Best Journalist And Kissykissymansa Bags Best Columnist Award

Binta A. Bah, a reporter has been awarded the Best Journalist of The Daily News, a private Gambian tri-weekly newspaper that publishes in print and online.
Established on April 6, 2009 by Madi M.K Ceesay, a seasoned Gambian journalist, The Daily News on Wednesday celebrated two years of existence at a ceremony held at the paper’s office in Churchill’s Town, Serrekunda.
The occasion was well attended, especially by media practitioners from other print media outlets.
Two veteran journalists, Mr Swaebou Conate, editor/publisher of The Gambia News & Report weekly magazine and Bijou Peters, a retired journalist respectively delivered topics on the impact and future of the paper. 
On the award, Binta A Bah, a judicial correspondent who anchors ‘Musoolula Bantabaa’, a weekly women’s column has been awarded best journalist of the paper.
Binta began the trade last year when she joined The Daily News after completing the Media Agenda-partnered Insight Training Centre one-year certificate studies in journalism. She is currently pursuing her diploma and working full time.   
Meanwhile, Mr Saikou Jammeh, the editor in chief, who anchors Kissykissy Mansa, also a weekly column that produces researched, investigative and in-depth articles on burning issues.
Mr Jammeh began his journalism career at The Gambia News & Report weekly magazine in 2007. He was among the founding staff of The Voice, an independent newspaper where he left in October 2009 as sub-editor to join The Daily News.
At The Daily News, Mr Jammeh started as a freelance reporter and rose through various ranks: staff reporter, sub-editor and editor in chief respectively.  
Both winners were awarded a prize of five hundred dalasis.

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In Lawyer Moses Richards Sedition Trial Jabang Alkalo: ‘Sheriff Advised Me to Secure the Services of a Lawyer’

the village head of Jabang in Kombo North, West Coast region on Wednesday said it was the Sheriff of the High Court, who advised him to secure the services of a barrister.
Pa Ebrima Colley was giving evidence as defense witness in the trial against defense lawyer Moses Richards, a former High Court judge, accused of sedition and false information.
Richards, who pleaded not guilty, is alleged to have, on behalf of Pa Colley, his client, written a deceiving letter to the Sheriff of High that the Office of the President ordered a stay of execution of judgment in a certain civil suit.
Testifying at Banjul Magistrates’ Court presided over by magistrate Taiwo Ade Alagbe, Pa Colley recalled receiving a telephone call from a High Court staff called, Alieu, who told him that he was needed at the Sheriff’s Office at the High Court in Banjul.
He said the Sheriff of the High Court asked him if he could remember the incident that happened in his village in the 2007, which prompted government’s intervention and he answered in the affirmative. 
Pa Ebrima Colley adduced that the Sherrif then advised him to secure a lawyer because there was going to be an eviction exercise as was done in 2007.
“I got frightened and asked the Sheriff what was I supposed to do” he told the court. “The Sheriff told me that I needed to secure the services of a lawyer who should write a letter for me.”
He said when he enquired from the Sherriff as to what else he was to tell the lawyer, the Sheriff then ordered Alieu, to photocopy a letter which he was later given to take to his lawyer.
Pa Colley said he then took the letter to the accused person, Moses Richards, to help him write a letter as directed by the Sherrif.
According to him, Richards directed him to consult Kebba Sanyang, also a legal practitioner, but the latter told him that he was minister of Justice at the time of the saga; that he could not write the letter.
He adduced that Mr Sanyang also directed him to consult the service chiefs. He said he unable to met the IGP but managed to speak to the deputy Inspector General of Police, who told him that it was good that he informed him.
“Few days later, the office of the Sheriff calls me again. Upon arrival, Alieu told him that the sheriff had travelled. I was taken to the office of Pa Harry Jammeh, the solicitor general.”
Trail continues Monday April 11. 

Moses Richards: No Reason was Advanced for My Termination

Moses Richards, a former High Court judge sacked April last year has said that no reason was advanced to him for the termination of his service as a judge.
Richards made this remarks on Wednesday at the magistrates’ court in Banjul where he is standing trial on charges of sedition and false information, which he denied.
Now a private legal practitioner, Richards served extensively as a magistrate in almost all the regions in the country before he was promoted a judge in charge of the Special Criminal Division of High Court created to preside over capital offences with a view to reduce the backlog of cases. 
And when the Director Special Litigation, D.H Kulo told him that he (Richards) got his dismissal from the bench for misconduct on a land matter including Abdoulie Jobe, Moses rubbished the allegation.
“That is not true,” he responded. “I never misconduct myself. My service was terminated and no reason was given.”
“It is correct to say that you lied on oath in this court” Kulo asked, but Moses denied lying to the court.
Kulo also accused Richards of having had a problem with police when he acted for Abdoulie Jobe for the purchase of land while he was a judge, but Moses denied it.
“If the record indicates you once had a problem with the police, it is correct for the court to treat you as a liar,” Kulo advanced.
However, the leading defense counsel Surahata Janneh objected to the admissibility of that question. Janneh said the state counsel was speculating.
Although Kulo countered that Richards should be allowed to answer the question, the court nonetheless granted the defense’s objection.
As the cross- examination continued, Kulo asked the accused that he as a former magistrate and High Court judge if the way he wrote the letter as his client narrated to him was the proper way.
“The Sheriff confirmed in this court that he asked him (his client) to write a letter,” Moses replied
Moses added that he wrote what his client narrated to him about what happened in 2007 in Jabang.
“As a lawyer I take my instructions from my client and I wrote on his behalf,” he said, denying being dictated by his client.
According to him, he took reasonable steps to make sure what he wrote was what the Sheriff told his client. “The Director of Physical Planning also confirmed that what my entire client said was the truth,” he added.
“And that is why you did not call the Sheriff of the Secretary General” Kulo asked.
Richards replied: “I have no cause to ask Pa Ebrima Colley the nature of the letter because he knew very well what the Sheriff told him.”
He added that his letter of the 6 December was acknowledged by the Sheriff who he said thanked him.
“You are being economical of the truth,” Kulo put to him.
But Richards insisted that he was saying the truth.
He said it is very incorrect for the Sherrif to copy any of his correspondents to the Office of the President because the matter does not concern the Office of the President.
He said he never mentioned in his evidence that the villagers of Jabang sustained injuries during the execution.
Richards said the Director of Physical Planning told him that investigations were going on to determine the land ownership of Jabang.
The case resumes today.

Author: Binta A Bah