By Yankuba Jallow
Mr. James Mendy, the Chief Security Guard of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) presently called State Intelligence Services (SIS), on Thursday, the 29th March 2018, pleaded not guilty to the count brought against him.
When the case was called before Magistrate Davies Wilson, Inspector Abdoulie Bojang represented the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the accused person appeared for himself.
When the charge sheet was read to him in Court, Mr. Mendy pleaded not guilty to the single count he was charged with and that is Accessory After the Fact to Murder, contrary to section 202 of the Criminal Code of the Gambia.
According to the particulars of offence, Mr. James Mendy on or about the 15th day of April 2016, at Banjul and diverse places of the Republic of the Gambia, having known that Yankuba Badjie, Louie Richard Leese Gomez, Saihou Omar Jeng (alias Sheikh Omar Jeng or Sir Jeng), Baboucarr Sallah, Yusupha Jammeh, Haruna Susso, Tamba Mansary and Lamin Darboe unlawfully caused the death of Ebrima Solo Sandeng, assisted them to dispose off the body of Ebrima Solo Sandeng, with intent to impede their apprehension or prosecution.
The Police Prosecutor Inspector Abdoulie Bojang, applied for the Court to transfer the case to the High Court; that according to Section 5 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), the Court can hear all matters except treason; but that by virtue of the provision of Legal Notice Number 3 2009, the Court lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter. He further relied on Section 62 of the CPC to back his case.
The trial magistrate in her ruling, transferred the matter to the High Court that has jurisdiction to hear the case.
