Former Daily Observer MD Discharged

Mr. Dida Halake, former Managing Director of Daily Observer, was yesterday, 6th August 2008, discharged by Principal Magistrate Buba Jawo of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court.

The decision of Magistrate Jawo followed the application made by ASP Touray to withdraw the case against the accused under section 68(1) of the criminal code. The reason for the withdrawal, according to ASP Touray, was for the prosecution to put its house in order. As a result, the Magistrate granted the application and discharged the accused.

It could be recalled that Mr. Dida Halake was arraigned before Principal Magistrate Buba Jawo on 25th June 2008 and charged with sedition and giving false information to a public servant, a charge he denied.

Lawyer Fafa Mbye, the defence counsel, told the court that the accused had a leased property at Kotu whose worth is about D15m.

He applied to the court to grant the accused bail on his own recognition and that if need be, the accused could deposit his title for security. He went on to say that the accused was prepared to surrender his passport to the Registrar.

However, Magistrate Jawo granted the accused bail in the sum of D250, 000 with a Gambian surety, in addition to the condition that the accused should surrender his passport with the Registrar.