By Mamadou Dem
Magistrate Abdoulie Fatty of Banjul Magistrates’ Court yesterday, 27 January, adjourned the criminal case involving Mr Yusupha Saidy, a Gambian businessman on the grounds that the prosecution witness was said to be bereaved.
Prior to adjourning the case, police prosecutor Inspector Almameh Manga informed the court that his witness was bereaved and applied that the matter be pushed to a further date. Defence counsel, Sheriff Tambadou who was together with Loubna Farage, did not oppose the application for adjournment. Consequently, the matter was adjourned to February 10th for hearing.
It could be recalled that Mr. Saidy is charged with conspiracy to commit felony and obtaining money under false pretence. He, however, denied any wrong doing and was admitted to bail in the sum of D1,000,000 with two Gambian sureties who shall enter into recognizance of the said sum.
Mr Saidy, who has been in detention at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) for almost eight months, is alleged to have jointly conspired with Mr. Watara (Ouatara), an Ivorian, Mr. Basir, a South African, and one Seedy Ahmed, a Senegalese, all of whom are now at large. They are alleged to have obtained the sum of 180,000 Euros for the purpose of transportation and customs clearance of 100 metal boxes containing 15 million American dollars, 10 tons of gold with some diamonds and portraits from one Omar Faruk Deniz with the pretext of clearing and transporting goods for Mr Deniz knowing same to be false and thereby committed an offence.
