Former PS Jammeh Charged

Alasana S.T Jammeh, former Permanent Secretary at the Department of State for Religious Affairs was yesterday arraigned at the Banjul Magistrates' Court, charged with giving false information to a public servant.

According to the particulars of offence, Mr. Jammeh sometime in the year 2008, by virtue of his employment as Permanent Secretary responsible for Religious Affairs claimed that he had directives from the Office of the President to select Intercontinental Airways to transport pilgrims during the 2008 Hajj, knowing this to be false.

Mr. Jammeh denied the charge.

At that juncture, Lawyer Lamin Jobarteh, defending the accused intervened and said that the particulars of offence are not sufficient to constitute the offence charged.

Consequently the presiding magistrate, Lamin George, urged the prosecution to amend the particulars by necessarily identifying the said public officer to whom the false information was given.

Meanwhile Mr. Jammeh was granted court bail in the sum of D7, 000.

The case was adjourned to 18th May 2009.