Detained radio station manager charged with sedition, remanded

Mr Ceesay

Abdoulie Ceesay, Managing Director of Taranga FM, who has been in the custody of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) since July 17, was arraigned at a lower court in Banjul yesterday charged with a single count of “seditious intention.”

 Police prosecutors alleged that, on or about the July 16, Ceesay distributed pictures of the Gambian President Yahya Jammeh to two persons, Zainab Koneh and Fatou A. Drammeh, using his Africell mobile SIM card. The said picture showed a gun pointing at President Jammeh.

 According to the prosecutors, by distributing the pictures, Ceesay had the intention to “raise discontent, hatred or disaffection among the inhabitants of The Gambia.”

Editor Jobe’s Lawyer Wants Court to Subpoena Doctor

The High court in Banjul will issue a subpoena to the doctor who treated the former editor-in-chief of the Daily Observer newspaper to testify as defense witness.
The doctor’s name was not mentioned when the case resumes onbut he is expected to come from the department of surgery, hospital management board at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital.
Alhajie Jobe is standing trial on a five-count charge of an act with seditious intention, seditious publication, and possession of seditious publication, giving false information to public servant, and reckless and negligent act. His co-accused, Mbye Bittay is facing a single count of making preparation to do act with seditious intention.  
Both accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. Jobe’s counsel, S Gaye said “He is a very crucial witness” referring to the doctor to be subpoenaed when the judge, Justice Emmanuel Ahmadi asked him: “Why not close the case”. “The witness is a doctor and he treated the accused,” Gaye said