Embattled NIA Officers Get New Bail Conditions

The Banjul Magistrates' Court presided over Principal Magistrate Edrissa Mbai yesterday reviewed the bail conditions granted earlier on to the two NIA officers Demba Sowe and Abubacarr Jallow who are standing trial for the alleged offence of abuse of office.

The new bail conditions stipulate that the accused persons must each now produce one Gambian surety who must deposit title deed within the Greater Banjul Area.

The review of the bail conditions followed the application made by Lawyers Lamin Camara and Kebba Sanyang on behalf of the accused.

It could be recalled that the previous bail conditions stipulated that the accused persons were granted bail in the sum of D10, 000 with two sureties and one of the surety must be in the rank of a Director of NIA or a police Commissioner.

Superintendent Badjie told the court that the case file was earlier returned from the Attorney-General Chambers to the police department with recommendation of further investigation.

He said these was done and the police were able to get all the additional information, adding that the case file had been sent back to the Attorney-General Chambers for final legal opinion.

Superintendent Badjie then applied for the case to be adjourned to enable the police to receive the final opinion from the Attorney-General Chambers.

The case was adjourned until 29th October 2008.

In a separate development, the trial of the former Director of Finance at the NIA Bakary Gassama also resumed yesterday at the Banjul Magistrates' Court before Principal Magistrate Edrissa Mbai.

However the case could not proceed as the police prosecutor Sub-Inspector Badjie told the court that he was yet to acquaint himself with the case file and therefore applied for an adjournment.

Defence Counsel Kebba Sanyang, in his response, told the court that the defence was opposed to any application for an adjournment. He said the accused person was on remand, as he could not fulfil the bail condition.

It could be recalled that the accused Bakary Gassama was alleged to have abused his office by receiving the sum of D51, 000 from one Bubacarr Jallow for safe keeping knowingly that the said amount was stolen.

The case was adjourned until 27th October 2008.