By Yankuba Jallow
The ongoing criminal trial involving former senior officials of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), has yet again suffered another setback because the first accused person is said to be seriously sick and is currently admitted at EFSTH. When the case was called before Justice Kumba Sillah of the Banjul High Court, Lawyers Antouman AB Gaye, LS Camara, Y Senghor and Combeh Gaye, announced their representation for the State whilst Lawyers E. Chime announced his representation for the 1st accused person, Ibrahim Jallow for the 3rd, E. Gomez for the 2nd accused, S. Kenedy for the 4th, 5th, 7th and the 8th and D. Darboe for the 9th accused person.
Defence Counsel E. Chime, told the court that the first accused person, Mr. Yankuba Badjie is currently seriously sick and has been admitted since. He further said they have been served an amended charge sheet four minutes before the sitting commence.
Counsel AB Gaye in his response said the accused persons were served the charge sheet on Friday but they declined to take them.
The trial judge in her statement said since one of the accused persons was not present, the matter shall stand adjourned to Wednesday 25th October 2017, for all accused persons to take their plea. In the amended charge sheet, new names are added such as Fatoumata Jawara, Nogoi Njie, Fatou Camara, Ebrima Jawara, and many others, who were alleged to have been involved in a demonstration sometime in the year 2016, and were subjected to arrest as well as torture. The 25 counts mentioned in the charge sheet includes torture, murder, causing grievous harm, felony, fabrication of documents, forgery, making documents without authority, abducting in order to subject persons to grievous bodily harm, conspiracy to commit felony and many others.
Read tomorrow’s Foroyaa publication for the new charges that the senior officials face. The accused persons are: Yankuba Badjie, Louis Gomez, former Deputy Director, Saikou Omar Jeng, former director of Operations, Haruna Susso, Yusupha Jammeh, Tamba Masireh, Lamin Darboe and Baboucarr Sallah, and Lamin Lang Sanyang at the Banjul High Court presided over by Justice Kumba Sillah-Camara.
