By Mustapha Jallow
The former minister of information, ambassador and lately a deputy minister of foreign affairs under the APRC regime is still
being held incommunicado at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters in Banjul after the high court has already granted him bail.
Mr. Sarjo Jallow was arrested and held at the NIA since 2 September, 2016, by plainclothes officers at Manjai and denied access to his loved ones.
Lawyer Antouman A.B Gaye, counsel for Mr. Jallow, filed a motion seeking for an order to unconditionally release the applicant from NIA headquarters in Banjul or grant him bail.
In his ruling, Justice Otaba noted that the application was brought under section 19 of the constitution and section 99 of the Criminal Procedure Code, adding that in the affidavit, it is stated that since his arrest, the applicant has been held incommunicado and denied access to family and has not been charged or arraigned before a court of law. “He has not been released conditionally or unconditionally, and the reason for his arrest was not known,” he added.
Justice Otaba indicated that he shall exercise his discretion judicially and judiciously by granting bail to the applicant in the following terms. He, went on, “bail is granted to the applicant in the sum of D200,000 with two Gambian sureties, with a property of the like sum. The accused person must submit his travelling documents to the Principal Registrar of the high court and the sureties should swear to an affidavit of means.”
It was earlier reported that before his arrest, Mr. Jallow’s house was burgled for the second time with his laptop and travelling documents taken away.
According to a close family source, they were denied access to their loved one since his arrest 50 days ago. He added they have been making efforts to secure his release as the court has already granted him bail but still held by the authorities. “We were asked to bring his documents to the DPP (Director of Public Prosecution) but how can we produce his documents which were taken away by unknown intruders,” said the relative.
