By Rohey Jadama Counsel for Amadou Sanneh, the National Treasurer of the United Democratic Party (UDP), yesterday, 12 January, applied to amend his grounds of appeal which was granted by the Gambia Court of Appeal. Appearing before the panel headed by the Court of Appeal president,Justice Emmanuel O.Fagbenle, and comprising Justice Naceesay Sallah-Wadda and Justice Awa Bah, Mr. Sanneh is appealing against his conviction by a lower court in 2013 to serve five years on sedition related charges. “I wish to amend paragraph 7 of the grounds of appeal where I stated the learned trial Magistrate instead of the learned trial Judge”, said Rachel Mendy, counsel for the appellant. The Appeal Court granted the application of appellant’s counsel for the said paragraph to be corrected. The Court also asked both the state and appellant how many days each would need to file and serve. Lawyer Mendy asked for 3 days and while Hadi Saleh Bakum, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) requested for 21 days. Justice Fagbenle, in his ruling, granted both applications as requested by the DPP and counsel. The case was subsequently adjourned to 16th February 2015 for adoption of briefs. Amadou Sanneh was convicted of the offence of conspiracy to do act with seditious intention, contrary to section 52(1)(a), and printing seditious materials; contrary to section 52(1)(c) of the criminal code, and sentenced to five years imprisonment on each count by Justice Emmanuel Nkea of the Special Criminal Court. The sentences are to run concurrently. The trial lasted for about three months from the 21st October, 2013 to 18th December, 2013. ]]>
