By Rohey Jadama
Police prosecutor ASP Colley has yesterday 31 March, 2016 applied for an adjournment in the trial involving the former Executives members of the Gambia Scout Association to enable him amend the charges.
The accused persons are Ousman Y Jatta, Amat Sowe, Momodou Mendy, Essa Jarjusey, Adama Beyai and Maimuna Bah.
When the case was called before Magistrate Fatou Janneh of the Kanifing Magistrates’ court, ASP Colley told the court that they intend to proceed with the first prosecution witness (PW1) but Lawyer Lamin S. Camara, defence Counsel for Maimuna Bah and Adama Beyai raised objection about the charges preferred against his clients.
Barrister Camara told the court that the prosecutions were not specific in the charge sheet as they alleged that “Ousman Y Jatta , Amat Sowe, Momodou Mendy, Essa Jarjusey, Adama Beyai and Maimuna Bah in the years 2012 to 2014 at Bakoteh, whilst being executive members of the Gambia Scout Association with intend to defraud collected over D700,000 from various non scout members with the pretext to include them in trips to attend international jamborees in different parts of Europe”.
According to Lawyer Camara , the scout members and non-scout members could be him or anyone else so it needs to be specific.
Responding to the objection, Prosecutor Colley said some of their witnesses are scout members and others are non-scout members. He craved the indulgence of the court for an adjournment for them to put their house in order by regularising the charge sheet.
Subsequently, the trial Magistrate adjourned the case to 4 and 7 April at 2pm and 9am respectively for continuation of the trial.
