By Mamadou Dem
Principal Magistrate Omar Cham of the lower court in Banjul yesterday 21 April, 2016 imposed a bail bond of one hundred million
dalasi (100,000, 000.00) with two Gambian sureties on Ansumana Jammeh, Gambia’s former ambassador to Qatar, Sanna Bah and Asssan Badjie.
Delivering the ruling in a congested court room, the trial magistrate said he had listened to both the defence’s bail application and the prosecution’s objection and had perused the relevant law and the charges preferred against the accused persons which are all bailable offences.
Magistrate Cham said the discretionary power that the courts have should be exercised judicially and judiciously when granting bail to accused persons. “I hereby admit bail to all the accused persons in the following conditions: The sum of one hundred million dalasi with two Gambian sureties, the bail sum to be deposited with the court or a property or properties currently valued at the bail sum. All accused persons to surrender their travelling documents with the registrar of the court. All accused persons should be reporting to the police station every Monday and to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the matter shall be given accelerated hearing.”
Consequently, the matter was adjourned to 28 April 2016 for hearing.
The three accused persons are jointly charged with conspiracy to commit a felony while Mr. Jammeh alone is charged on a second count of official corruption.
Count one alleges that Messrs. Jammeh, Bah and Badjie between the months of June 2010 to February 2011 in Banjul and diverse places in the Republic of The Gambia conspired among themselves and corruptly solicited and received the sum of one million five hundred and fifty thousand sixty five dollars (USD 1,550,065.00) equivalent to forty-five million five hundred and fifteen thousand, nine hundred and seven dalasi (GMD 45,515,907.00) through CONAPRO company in the discharge of their duties and thereby committed an offence.
Mr. Jammeh on count two is alleged to have committed an offence, between the period and at the place as stated above, by virtue of his employment as the Gambia’s ambassador to Qatar and being the Chief executive officer of MALIGAM and soliciting and receiving one million five hundred and fifty thousand and sixty five dollars (USD 1,550,065.00) equivalent to forty-five million five hundred and fifteen thousand, nine hundred and seven dalasi (GMD 45, 515,907.00) through CONAPRO company in the discharge of his duties.
However the trio pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
