Lawyer Seeks Bail for ex-Finance Minister

Mambury Njie

By Binta A Bah

Lawyer Lamin S Camara has seek for the release of former Minister of Finance and Secretary General, Mambury Njie on bail yesterday at the High Court in Banjul.

The affidavit in support of bail sworned by the accused wife urged the court to use it ‘discretion’ and warrant the accused bail.

“The applicant has been on bail before in connection with these charges by both the Banjul Magistrate Court and the High Court,” Camara submitted.

Njie, Ex- Minister is standing trial on two counts of economic crime and neglect of duty.

He is accused of recklessly causing the Gambia Government loss, by failing to advise government on matters pertaining to mining operations of Carnegie Minerals Gambia Limited between 2001 and 2006 while he was the Secretary General and head of Civil Servant.

Lawyer Lamin Camara

Allegations he strongly denied.

“The applicant won’t interfere with investigation. He has no prior criminal record and most importantly he will not jump bail because his travelling documents are with the NIA” He said.

Ex-Finance Minister MAMBURY NJIE Remanded

 The high court in Banjul has remanded former Finance and Economic Affairs Minister and ex-diplomat, Mr. Mambury Njie, two weeks after he was re-arrested.

His remand came after he pleaded not guilty to two counts of economic crime and neglect of duty this morning before Justice Abdallah.

Njie has been accused of recklessly causing the Gambia Government loss, by failing to advise government on matters pertaining to mining operations of Carnegie Minerals Gambia Limited between 2001 and 2006 while he was the Secretary General and head of Civil Servant.

Journalists released after 19 days in detention

After 19 days of prison detention, Managing Editor and Editor of the Independent Observer newspaper Messers, Jonathan Leigh and Bai Bai Sesay were granted bail on November 4, 2013 by a Freetown-Based High Court.

The granting of bail to the journalists followed a series of joint protests and appeals by the MFWA and Sierra Leone Journalists Association (SLAJ) that the two be granted bail and their rights respected.

The two journalists were admitted to bail bonds valued at 500 million Leone (about US$114,000) each. As part of the bail conditions, they were also required to have two sureties one of whom must own a house in the upper class suburb called the Western Area. Additionally, the house owner must also deposit the property title with the Registrar of the court. The two journalists have also been asked to surrender their travelling documents to the authorities.

Ex-Chief Justice Yet to See a Doctor, Trial Commence

ExChief Justice Wowo

Ex-chief Justice of the Gambia has told the Special Criminal Division that he is yet to see a doctor as ordered by the same court on Monday.

Wowo who is standing trial together with the former justice minister, Lamin Jobarteh said he was not taken to the hospital.

A prison officer however, told the court that he’s just received the ordered when the judge inquired.

Wowo who is yet to get a Gambian who can bail him with a landed property is standing trial on 13 counts of abuse of office, frauds and breaches of trust, conspiracy to defeat justice, offences relating to judicial proceedings, giving false information to a public officer and assumption of authority.

While Jobarteh is only charge with two counts: conspiracy to defeat justice, offences relating to judicial proceedings

The two are said to have succumb to negotiation over a pending case before the court of appeal which act was an interference with the due executions of legal proceedings before the court of appeal.

Charges they strongly denied.

Meanwhile a police officer attached to the major crime unit has testified as the state first witness. Jawo Keita who was part of the panel said he obtained the cautionary statement from first accused (Wowo) in connection of the allegation made against him.

“I only accept, and give orders’ detective Sowe tells court

 

Ex-NDEA PRO Abdoulie Ceesay

Detective Abdoulie Sowe has told the High Court in Banjul that he received an order and directive to join a panel at the National intelligence Agency regarding Benedict Jammeh and his co-accused.

Sowe who admitted the directives were in writing said “I cannot say the directives are written because I’m not the author,” I only accept order, and give order”.

Sowe was responding to questions  during a cross-examination with the 2^nd accused person’s (Abdoulie Ceesay) counsel, Kebba Sanyang.

Ex-NDEA PRO Abdoulie Ceesay alongside Benedict Jammeh,  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.