SABALLY IN COURT, REMANDED AT NIA

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.

Wowo Was a Personal Friend-Pa Harry Jammeh



Pa Harry Jammeh

Pa Harry Jammeh has refuted allegations that he conspired with Ex- justice minister and Njogu Bah against ex-chief justice, Joseph Wowo who is currently standing trial in a different matter at the High Court in Banjul.

“I did not conspire with anybody and I was not aware of any conspiracy” says ex-Solicitor General and Legal Secretary.

Jammeh made this refutation as he enters his defense in the criminal trial also involving Dr Njogu Bah, former Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service and also minister of Presidential affairs Bah, and Lamin Jobarteh minister for justice, on allegations of giving false information to a public servant, abuse of office and conspiracy to carry out a lawful purpose by unlawful means.

He said he did not conspire to remove justice Wowo by an unlawful means. “Wowo was a personal friend, I have nothing against him and still do not have,” Jammeh said.

According to him, it’s his friendship with him that why he did not say anything when he was summon by then justice minister (1^st accused) to attend a meeting Wowo was part of.

Interpol Officer Testifies As Hearing Begin in Dr. Njogu & Co. Trial

Njogu Bah

Police officer attached to the Interpol unit of the Gambia police force yesterday told the High Court in Banjul that he obtained both cautionary and voluntary statements from the first accused, Lamin Jobarteh, former justice minister.

However, Musa said he did not grant the accused request to meet his lawyer before taking the cautionary statements during cross examination with layer Lamin S Camara.

“I did not because I was not entitled to do so” Jarju told the packed courtroom. “I was not the head of the investigation panel.”

Jarju was testifying in the case of Dr Njogu Bah Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service and also minister of Presidential affairs Bah, Lamin Jobarteh minister for justice while Pa Harry Jammeh, Solicitor General and Legal Secretary.

“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.

Former justice minister on bail: As fresh charges were preferred against him

Lamin Jobateh, former justice minister

 High Court in Banjul has released the former justice minister on bail to the tune of D3 million with two Gambian sureties.Jobarteh has moved one step toward his freedom.The former minister has spend several week behind bars until his bail yesterday.

Lamin Jobarteh was indicted yesterday July, 24, with fresh charges ranging from giving false information, economic crime, abuse of office, wrongfully retaking possession of land, forcible entry and operating a business without license before Justice Emmanuel Nkea of the Special Criminal Division.

He is accused of ordering and assisting the arrest and detention of Alieu Barry and Bernd Geoge Diedrich and also Mustapha Kanyi and Yerro Jamanka at Bansag police station.

GPPC Ex-Managing Director denies economic crimes charges, others

 

Kerbba Sanyang Attorney

The former managing director of the Gambia Printing and Publishing Corporation (GPPC) Cherno Gaye alongside Dodou Nasso has denied allegations causing economic losses, an act that is detrimental to the economy of the Gambia.

 Gaye, and Nasso were on  24^th July arraigned before justice Abdullah Mikilu on nine charges of economic crime, abuse of office, disobedience of statutory and neglect of official duty at the High Court in Banjul.

According to charge sheet , the accused persons, failed to recover the sum of  D65, 362.00 being salary advances paid to employees of the corporation and D45, 000.00 being board advances paid to some members of the board.

Two Additional Charges Against Ex-Justice Minister Jobarteh

Gambian Police Tuesday filed charges against former Attorney General and minister of Justice, Lamin AMS Jobarteh, for economic crimes allegations.  

Police said the accused between 2010 and 2013 in Bansang, deliberately fail to pay income tax and domestic and rate taxes on his lodge in Bansang, an act detrimental to the economy of the Gambia.

The charge further accused him of setting up a hoax committee to discreet the findings of a lawfully constituted, while serving at the Attorney General of The, Gambia without authority and with intent to injure the economy of the Gambia,

However, the accused did not take his plea but the prosecution has made an application for the case to be to transfer at the High Court. He also urged the court to refuse the accused person’s bail.

‘NIA Officers Tortured My Men’

fired NDEA Chief Bun Sanneh

Ebrima Bun Sanneh, former executive director of National Drug Enforcement Agency has told the Special Criminal Division of the High Court in Banjul that National Intelligence officers have tortured his men, anti drug officers for obstructing what was infact in their domain (drug).
“Lamin Kabou, who managed to escape was screaming when he rushed into my office naked, blood all over his body with wounds,” Bun Sanneh told the court yesterday as he defends against multiple charges levied against him.
He is standing trial alongside four former top anti-narcotic officials, Karamo Bojang, his deputy, Ousman Sanneh, operations commander, Seedy  Bojang and Marie Sanneh the only female are facing 30 counts of corruption and drug related charges at high court in Banjul. They all pleaded not guilty.
“They (NIA) were about to kill me” Bun heard Lamin said while on the floor..
He added: “I called Lamin Bo Badjie, then Director General of NIA and informed him, but he hang up the phone.
“After some minutes, Alhajie Morr Jobe and Ebrima Drammeh, all intelligence officers forcefully entered my office. My commander wanted to arrest them, but I intervened.”
Bun further told the court that Alhaji Morr Jobe told him that he was after his prisoner, Lamin Kabou who was still lying on the floor.

Embattled ex-NDEA Chief Bun Sanneh Put up Defence

 

Embattled ex-NDEA Chief Bun Sanneh

Although his ordeal is far from over, the appearance of embattled ex-anti drug chief, who has been widely rumoured dead, was a sigh of relief to the sea of nervous family members and sympathisers.
Appearing in a not-so-bad mental and physical shape, Ibrahim Bun Sanneh, attired in a modest Kaftan showed up at the High Court in Banjul in the escort of state security services from the country’s central prison, Mile Two, where he is being remanded, and where two people came out dead in two weeks.
The former executive director of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA) is facing multiple criminal charges alongside four of his juniors – Seedy Bojang, his deputy, Ousman Sanneh, operations commander and Mary Sanneh.
The charges against the five former top anti-narcotic agents, who were fired last year in the wake of the saga, include corruption, theft, illegal possession of firearms, drugs, among others. They all pleaded not guilty.
Several witnesses had testified for the state. On Monday, it was Ibrahim Bun Sanneh turn to clear himself of the allegations on which if found guilty, could land them in jail for several years.
According to the former anti-drug chief, at some point during his time as head of the anti drug agency, there was a conflict of interest with the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
This, he revealed, started when Alhaji Morr Jobe was deployed from the NIA to NDEA as Operations Commander.

‘Ex-Deputy Anti Drug Chief Gave-out Cocaine for Sale’

 

Ex-Anti Drug Chief

Mr Karamo Bojang, ex-deputy director general of National Drug Enforcement Agency has connived with his boss, Ebrima Bun Sanneh and gave over 500 grams of cocaine to one Manjang Janko to market for them, the court heard on Thursday.See.p.3
State prosecutor Ebrima Jaiteh revealed further that Manjang Janko sold the said drugs for 9, 000 US dollars and shared the proceeds with the fired top anti-narcotics agents.
But when he confronted Mr Ousman Sanneh, former operations commander of NDEA, the embattled anti drug agent denied the allegations.
Sacked in 2010, the five former top anti-narcotic officials: Ebrima Bun Sanneh, executive director, Karamo Bojang, his deputy, Ousman Sanneh, operations commander, Seedy  Bojang and Mary Sanneh the only female are facing 30 counts of corruption and drug related charges at high court in Banjul. They all pleaded not guilty.
“It is correct that the second accused person gave you some money from the $9, 000” the prosecution asked but the accused person said, it is not correct.

Superintendent Ali Ceesay: I Did Not Threatens Soriba Condeh

Superintendent Ali Ceesay, sacked prison officer has told the Special Criminal Division that he has never threatened to lock Soriba Condeh PW1 for the rest of his life differently not to testify against former Police chief Ensa Badjie.
“I did not conspired to defeat justice or interfere with witnesses,” Ceesay maintained
 Ceesay made these revelations on Wednesday as he proved innocence of corruption and drug related allegation brought against him.
He alongside the ex-Inspector General of Police are facing 15 counts ranging from robbery, aiding prisoners, abuse of office, drug related charges, interfering with witnesses and  to defeat justice.
 They strongly denied the allegation. 
According to him the allegation made by pw1 that he detained him permanently to protect the 1st accused Ensa Badjie are unfounded claims because, he did not know Ensa Badjie by then.
But he said he addresses both of them (1st accused and pw1) after he was informed that the two were not in good terms in the Mile Two prisons.
 He added that some officers even declared to move pw1 to the main yard but he refused for some security reasons
“Because pw1 is serving life imprisonment and has records of escaping from custody,” he added.
He said during the address pw1 ‘aggressively’ told him to do whatever he wants. Ceesay quoted PW1 as saying “seal me.”
 However, he made known to the court that prisoners are to be punished if they misbehave according to the prisons rules.
 “But I did not order for his confinement as he claim in this court”
Ceesay also told the court that he has never escorted pw1 during his remand time because he (pw1) never has access to visitors as investigations were still on. And secondly he said: “I was moved to take in charge of the kitchen when he was convicted. Convicts are not entitle to be visited until 3 months elapse.”
He added: “Pw1 lied when he told the court that the 1st accused and I are related because I am a Wolof and he is a Jola”
He went further to tell the court that he is from the North Bank Region while the 1st accused is from Sibanor in the Fonis.
When asked about his mother’s name and tribe, Ceesay responded that his mother is called Soffie Touray and she is a Wollof.
Meanwhile, the voter’s card of the 2nd accused person’s mother was tendered and mark as evidence without any objection from the DPP. 

Lawyer Mboge Withdraws Representation for ex IGP Ensa Badjie

Lawyer Mboge

“With a deep sense of regret and remorse, I
withdraw my representative for Ensa Badjie, the
ex Inspector General of Police (IGP),” lawyer
Lamin K Mboge announced in court Wednesday
without advancing any reason.
Ex police chief and Tijan Badjie, an ex-
prosecutor are standing trail on four counts
charges, including interfering with witnesses,
defeating justice, destroying evidence and abuse
of office. Both pleaded not guilty.
Meanwhile, the ex National Assembly Member for
Kombo North who is appearing as state witness
no.3 in the trial was cross-examined by the
second accused person, Tijan Badjie.
Musa Susso maintained that former police chief,
Ensa Badjie asked him to tell lies against
Benedict Jammeh, a former police chief now head
of national drug agency and Burama Dibba, former
Crime Management Coordinator of Gambia Police
Force.
However, he noted that all the allegations he
made against David Colley, director of prisons
are founded. 
Mr Susso denied having a score to settle with
either of the accused persons, even though Tijan
Badjie was the prosecutor in the criminal trial
he was involved.
 “I’m putting it to you that all what you said
in this court other than your name and address
is all false,” Tijan advanced, but Muso insisted
that he narrated the truth.

Children Experience Violence, Exploitation and Abuse, Says Health Minister

Add caption

Children worldwide experience violence,
exploitation and abuse and are engaged in
exploitative conditions of work, said the
minister of Health and Social Welfare.
Ms Fatim Badjie was addressing participants from
different African countries at the week-long
meeting for the coordinators of West African
Network on Children on the move.
Underway at Paradise Suites Hotel, Kololi, the
participants are drawn from Mali, Senegal,
Niger, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Ivory Coast and
Burkina Faso. 
In West Africa, several tens of thousands of
children are estimated to be in need of special
protection, especially from abuse, human
trafficking and slave trading.
According to the Health minister, these made
children suffer both physical and psychological
harm with irreparable effects.
The meeting was funded by the International
Social Service (ISS) Swiss
Foundation to reduce the movement related risks
for children in West Africa, Europe and
elsewhere.
The Child and Environmental Development
Association The Gambia is a partner to the
network.
“Every child needs a preventive environment that
embraces all areas of social live, where laws,
behaviour and practice minimise children’s
susceptibility to risk as well strengthen their
own resilience,” minister Badjie added.
She called for the protection of children and
mindset of families’ beliefs and practice but
condemned the pester of parents to give children
appropriate guidance as they grow up to
adulthood
”Just because a child possesses rights
does not mean that every dispute between
children and parents will end up in a court of
law or police state,” she said, noting that
relying on love alone for a child’s wellbeing
cannot ensure protection when units erode or
when the trust of the child for protection is
betrayed.

Four Senior Prison Officers Case Suffers Setback

 

The trial of four senior prison officers accused
of corruption, among others on Wednesday
suffered a setback at the Banjul Magistrates’
Court.
Abdoulie Bojang, Solo Manga, Buba Badjie and
Bakary are facing allegations of destroying
evidence, given unauthorized communications to
prisoners and corruption, but pleaded not
guilty.
When the case resumed on Wednesday, neither the
director of public prosecution nor the defense
counsels could tell the whereabouts of the
suspects.
“I think the state will be in the right position
to answer the whereabout of the suspects,”
defense lawyer Neneh Cham said.
But the DPP said, he has no idea. “The prison
officers are responsible for that,” he said
Meanwhile, Abdoulie Bojang is facing three
charges. He is said to have removed a cell phone
card in a Samsung cell phone recovered from
prison, knowing it could be used as evidence in
court.
He is also alleged to have introduced prohibited
articles in prison – gave cell phone to inmates:
Batch Samba Faye and former defense Chief Lang
Tombong Tamba, a treason convict.
Solo Manga and Buba Badjie are facing similar
allegations of providing cell phones to inmates,
while Bakary Jammeh, the fourth accused person
is alleged to have corruptly received D100 from
Ousman Ndow to show favour to Alieu Bah, an
inmate.
The firth accused person is at large.
The case resumes Monday May 13 2010.

Ex-Police Chief Denies Befriending a Pub Manager

A former police chief standing trial on multiple criminal charges said, the state witness no. 7 was severely tortured by the National Intelligent Agency to testify against him.
Embattled ex-police chief, Ensa Badjie and Ali Ceesay, a prison officer are accused of robbery, aiding prisoners to escape, abuse of office, drugs and related offences.
Both pleaded not guilty.
Yaya Tony, the manager of the famous City Pub had earlier testified that Ensa Badjie is a friend, who used to visit his pub.
However, Ensa Badjie alleged that the pub manager succumbed to over a one month detention with severe torture at the NIA headquarters.
He said he is not a friend to Mr Tony.
“Why will Tony lie against you,” the director of public prosecution quizzed and Ensa replied: “Because he [Tony] was under duress.”
“Was he tortured in this court,” DPP further asked and Ensa replied: “He was escorted by the officials.” 
On the state witness no.10, Abdoulaye Sowe, Ensa said he had a quarrel with him when he was commanding Kanifing police.
He explained: “I had a quarrel with him when he impregnated one female constable and abandoned the child.”
Soriba Condeh is a convicted robber serving jail sentence at the maximum prison in Banjul. When he appeared as a state witness, he said, he was the robbery gang leader, but Ensa Badjie masterminded their robbery operations.
However, Ensa said, he did not know Soriba Condeh until the day the latter was arrested.
“What is your source of information that Soriba Condeh had disappeared,” DPP asked. Ensa said that is the information he received.
When asked if he had fulfilled his promise when Soriba was captured he said he did not because Landing Bojang, Serrekunda police boss was trying to incriminate him.
Badjie Denied allegations that he gave cannabis and alcohol to Soriba at the office of the drug squad as alleged of him.
He said he only went with Soriba at the office of the Drug enforcement in the presence of Benedict Jammeh, Omar Jibba.
Badjie said Soriba Condeh and wife Fatou Mendy bear hatred against him because, as he said, “I arrested Soriba Condeh when he escaped from prison.”
He said the other murder and robbery convicts have all lied against him in court. “Why would they lie against you,” he was asked.
“Because if they lie against me they will be given presidential pardon and if they tell the truth they will remain in prison,” the former police chief said.
Hearing continues today.