IN THE NIA 8 TRIAL: Justice Sallah-Wadda Assigned Trial Judge

By Yankuba Jallow

Justice Na-Ceesay Sallah-Wadda has been assigned trial judge of the eight National Intelligence Agency (NIA) personnel arrested some time ago, in relation to the murder of Ebrima Solo Sandeng, a former member of UDP executive.

The Eight officers of the NIA now called State Intelligence Service (SIS), were on Wednesday 21^st March 2018, arraigned before Magistrate Tracy Davies Wilson of the Banjul Magistrate Court. However, the case has been transferred to the High Court because the Magistrate Court lacks jurisdiction to hear such matters.
The accused persons are Quasy Mendy, Leon Gomez, Lamin Bojang, Malafi Jarjue, Bakary Jammeh, Ansumana Manga, Mamudou Badjie and Yankuba Colley.
According to the particulars of offence on Count One, the aforesaid persons on or about April 15th 2016, at Banjul and diverse places in the Republic of The Gambia, agreed among themselves to cause the death of Ebrima Solo Sandeng and thereby committed an offence.
On the particulars of offence on Count Two, the prosecutors alleged that all the accused persons except Ansumana Manga, on or about April 15^th 2016 in Banjul and diverse places of the Republic of The Gambia, having known that Yankuba Badjie, Louie Richard Leese Gomez, Saihou Omar Jeng (alias Sir Jeng), Babucarr Sallah, Yusupha Jammeh, Haruna Susso, Tamba Mansary and Lamin Darboe, unlawfully caused the death of Ebrima Solo Sandeng, by assisting the former top brass of the agency currently on trial at the High Court, to dispose of the body of the late Sandeng, with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of  Yankuba Badjie, Louie Richard Leese Gomez, Saihou Omar Jeng (alias Sir Jeng), Babucarr Sallah, Yusupha Jammeh, Haruna Susso, Tamba Mansary and Lamin Darboe, and thereby committed an offence.
However, the accused persons could not take their plea as the Lower Court lacks the jurisdiction to try the case. They were subsequently remanded.

Meanwhile prior to this, Police Prosecutor Yahya Camara’s application to transfer the matter to the High Court, was granted.