By Mamadou Dem
Principal Magistrate Omar Cham of the lower court in Banjul has granted the state prosecutors a fortnight’s adjournment in order to allow them put their house in order after the prosecution intimated to the court that investigations into this matter are still ongoing.
When the case resumed yesterday, 1st of August, 2016, for hearing, Police Prosecutor ASP Almameh Manga together with Inspector Sarja Sanyang and Police Constable (PC) 1415 Fatoumatta Jallow Keita appeared for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) while a team of lawyers comprising Surahata Janneh, Hawa Sisay Sabally, Lamin S. Camara, Omar Njie, Abdulai Sisohor, Combeh Gaye and Patrick Gomez appeared for the accused persons.
Prosecutor Manga submitted that the matter was adjourned for hearing but unfortunately they would not be able to proceed because investigations in the matter are not completed. “We craved the court’s indulgence to have the matter to be adjourned to a fortnight, when we would have been ready to proceed and inform this court our position,” said Manga.
The doyen of the Gambian Bar, Barrister Surahata Janneh did not object to the prosecution’s application but informed the court that all the accused persons are sacked and as such they need to know their fate in order to enable them look for other jobs.
At this juncture, the matter was adjourned to 22nd of August, 2016 to enable the prosecution to put its house in order.
It would be recalled that twenty eight (28) senior government officials, including permanent secretaries, deputy permanent secretaries and directors were arraigned and charged with neglect of official duties and abuse of office, contrary to the laws of The Gambia.
They are Abdoulie Jallow, Kaiding Sambou, Bernard Mendy, Cherno Njie, Yira Jammeh, Abdoulie T.B. Jarra, Aminata Semega Janneh, Aussainou Jorbarteh, Abdoulie Jallow, Fafa Sanneh, Cherno Omar Barry, Abdoulie K.M. Jallow, Abdoulie Jallow, Lamin Camara, Lamin Sanyang, Tijan Jeng, Fatou Matta Bah, Momodou Saidyleigh, Aja Fatou Gaye, Habib T.B. Jarra, Lamin Sisey, Naffie Barry, Famara Darboe, Roheyatou Kah and Sanna Gassama.
