Waa Juwara, 2 others charged

 

Lamin Waa Juwara

(The Point)

Police prosecutors have brought charges against Lamin Waa Juwara, former Minister of Regional Administrations, Lands and Traditional Rulers, Hamidou Jallow, Principal Lands and Evaluation Officer, and one Tamsir Onasis Konteh, at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before acting Principal Magistrate Dawda K. Jallow.

It would be recalled that Lamin Waa Juwara, leader and founder of opposition NDAM party, was appointed Minister of Regional Administration, Lands and Traditional Rulers, after last serving as Governor for the Lower River Region.

He was later removed as Minister of Regional Administrations, Lands and Traditional Rulers and later, according to sources, he was appointed Gambia’s High Commissioner to Senegal.

Count one of the particulars of offence indicated that Tamsir Onasis Konteh and Hamidou Jallow, in November 2011 in Banjul within the jurisdiction of the court, conspired to use forged documents to claim compensation in respect of Tanji Residential Layout and thereby committed an offence.

Lawyer Mboge: My Cautionary Statement was altered

lawyer mboge

Lawyer Lamin Mboge on Monday accused the police of altering the cautionary statement he made at the police headquarters in Banjul last year regarding the fraud charges leveled against him by the state.
The senior lawyer made this accusation at the magistrate’s court in Banjul where he is putting up defence against allegations of making and uttering false documents to Ebrima Sambou, commissioner for oaths in the name of one Alagie Momodou Barrow.
“I wrote my own statement but the document was altered by insertion of name and signature of an independent witness who was never present,” Mboge said. “I was surprised to see the name and signature of an independent witness in court.”

Justice Minister Advised Me to Return Barrow’s Money

lawyer Mboge

Lawyer Lamin K Mboge has informed Magistrate Ade Taiwo Alagbe that the Minister of Justice Edward Gomez advised him to returned Saikou Barrow’s money as well as the case file when he was reported to the police headquarters in Banjul for making documents without their authority.

“I received a telephone call from the police headquarters that one Saikou Barrow has lodged a complaint that I have made a false affidavit without his authority,” Mboge added.

Mr Mboge, legal practitioner made these statement as he continued with his defense at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court in the four counts charge of making false documents, uttering false documents.

Mboge is alleged to have fraudulently uttered a false document to wit: an affidavit, intent to deceive, execute an affidavit in the name of Alagie Momodou Barrow without his lawful authority and made false declaration before Ebrima Sambou, commissioner for oaths.

He strongly denied the allegation.

He added that Mr. Barrow made this allegation against him when he told him (Barrow) that he cannot withdraw the motion until he and his father appear in court, because it has already been dated. “When I refused he told me that he is going to the police to make a declaration that I made a false document,” Mboge added

He said barrow further told him that they should meet at the Minister’s office but he (Mboge) refused. “I told him that I will go to the minister if I need his advice and I don’t need it at the time.”

He said Saikou instructed him to file the motion but only to call again to withdraw the motion, because he said he and his father were not going to appear in court for the land matter.

President Jammeh Order Us to Follow Eric T. Janneh

One Momodou Badjie, a tailor by profession and a native of Banjulinding on Monday informed the Banjul Magistrates’ Court presided over Magistrate Ade Taiwo Alagbe that the villagers of Banjulunding were ordered by President Jammeh to follow Eric T. Janneh as the alkalo of the village.

Badjie was testifying against the two loyalist of APRC who are standing trial on four counts: false information, making false documents, uttering false documents and prohibition of conduct of breaching the peace.

They are alleged to have written to the Secretary General Office of the President, stating that the alkalo of Banjulunding is disuniting the villagers and grabbing lands.

Both accused persons pleaded not guilty.

Manneh said this was made clear to them by the then Secretary General Njogu Bah in the presence of Rongo, his father, Eric T. Janneh and himself at the president’s office, State House.

At the president’s office, he said: “The Secretary General told us that he did not want to hear anything from us and that the president was aware of the problems in Banjulinding and that he wants to reunite and we should recognized Eric T Janneh as the alkalo.”

He said the then Secretary General also advised Eric T. Janneh to treat all the villagers equally and they all agreed before they left.

He said when they got back to the village they got another letter that they want Foday Jambang as their alkalo, which he said was written by Rongo, the first accused.

He added that they reported the matter to the National Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) office where his statement was taken by an officer.

He said later in the day Eric together with some elders were invited to the NDEA and were informed by the officers that they had a directive from the president and they have only two options: either to settle matter among themselves or take it to court, but he said the alkalo pleaded that the case be settled peacefully among themselves.

Badjie said Eric was finally appointed as the chairman of council of elders at the NDEA and they were told by the officers that anybody who disregards what has been settled had disobeyed the president.

Momodou Badjie told the court: “After four days Malang Badjie called a meeting, took out a letter and gave it to the first accused to read who told the gathering that the letter is from the president’s office and that Malang Badjie is the new chairman of council of elders.”

The witness said the first prosecution witness protested against Rongo’s statement, but Rongo responded that selecting elders of their village was not the work of the NDEA.

“The first accused admitted reading the letter after reporting the matter again to NDEA, but denied knowing where the letter was from Momodou explained. He added that the official vowed to investigate the matter but told the court that he is not aware if they did as they promised.

The magistrate at this juncture adjourned the case till June 29 for continuation of hearing.

‘Justice Minister Knows I Have No Power to Evict’

 

Lawyer Mboge

Lamin K Mboge, a private legal counsel has denied his clients Saikou Barrow and father, Alagie Momodou Barrow’s statement that Justice Minister Edward Gomez asked him to write an eviction letter and to take the police to evict the people occupying their property.
“Justice Minister knows that I cannot evict anyone by writing an eviction letter and that I have no power to take the police to evict the occupants from that property,” Mboge said.
He explained that he was invited by the Justice Minister, who asked him to offer legal advice to the two to regain their property as they are poor and do not have money.
 A former magistrate, lawyer Mboge is standing trial at the magistrates’ court in Banjul for allegedly making and uttering false document for his clients, but he pleaded not guilty.
“I did not forge any document, I did not utter any false document and I did not make any document without authority,” he said, as he put up his defence.
The trial resumes today.

Efry, Rongo’s Trial Progresses

The criminal trial involving Efry Mbye and Momodou Lamin Jarjue alias Rongo on Monday proceeded at Banjul Magistrates’ Court presided over by Magistrate Ade Taiwo Alagbe.
The duo are facing four counts: false information, making false documents, uttering false documents and prohibition of conduct of breaching the peace.
They are alleged to have written to the Secretary General Office of the President, stating that the alkalo of Banjulinding is disuniting the villagers and grabbing lands. Both pleaded not guilty.
Under cross examination,   the Imam of Banjulinding, Yahya Bah informed the court that the current alkalo of his village had his ‘alkaloship’ terminated from the period 2000 to 2007 and later reinstated. 
Asked if Eric and his council of elders were formed when he was not the alkalo, the witness who had earlier said in his testimony that the Imam is always part of the council of elders replied that he did not know anything about that.
“If you were among the council of elders since 2001 how comes you did not know the council of elders’ defense counsel advanced?”
 “I don’t know,” the witness replied, adding that he was appointed by NDEA officials with directive from president Jammeh.
When asked if he got any document to show that they were directed by the President, the witness told the court that he did not have any. It was one Mr. Barry of the NDEA told him that he was instructed by the President, he said.
Mr. Bah denied telling the investigators that there were many mosques in Banjulinding and as a result it is  causing disarray in the village.
“How comes it is in your witness statement,” E. Jah asked defense counsel for Rongo.
But before the witness could replied, the prosecution objected to the question, stating that the document is not before the court.
The document was later shown to him and he confirmed that it as his statement.
However, the prosecutor again objected to the tendering of the statement.
He said the witness did not know what is in the statement.
The defense, in reacting to the prosecution’s objection said the witness admitted that he is the author of the statement and can clarify issues relating to the document.
 Magistrate Alagbe in his ruling said the prosecution’s objection is misconceived and inapplicable, because the witness said it is his statement.
The document was tendered and marked as defense exhibit.
The case resumes 26 May, 2011.