Author: Binta A Bah, standard.gm
After being
detained for over a month, Momodou
Sabally was yesterday afternoon arraigned before the high court in Banjul.
State
prosecutors have slammed one count of economic crime and two counts of abuse of
office charges against the former secretary general and minister for presidential
affairs, all relating to a Youth Career Development Programme organised by one Mariama Sillah in May 2014.
Mr Sabally, 40, is accused of causing
economic loss to SSHFC in the amount of D402,500 by unduly influencing SSHFC to
fund the programme without the recourse to due process. He pleaded not guilty
to the charges.
However, his request to be released
on bail was denied by Justice Abdullahi Mikailu who ordered him to be remanded
at the National Intelligence Agency after the prosecution said the
investigations into his matter were ongoing.
“I want an order to leave the accused in the
custody of the NIA owing to the fact that the investigation in relation to the
accused person is ongoing. We want the court to give an order to this effect,” the
director of public prosecution told the court.
Mr Sabally who was not represented
by a lawyer told the court: “I have been detained for five weeks during which I
cooperated with the investigators… I have a wife and children.
