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SCC to hear Ex-Chief Justice Wowo’s bail application today

Aug 14, 2013, 10:36 AM

The Special Criminal Court (SCC) in Banjul will today hear a bail application filed by a former Chief Justice of The Gambia, Justice Joseph Wowo.

Wowo is seeking bail after he was remanded by the Banjul Magistrates’ Court, where he was arraigned last Wednesday and charged with seven counts of giving false information to a public officer.

He filed a bail application on Monday through his defence counsel, Lawyer A Uzoma, at the Special Criminal Court presided over by Justice Emmanuel Nkea.

When his bail application was mentioned on Monday at the SCC, Uzoma informed the court that they had filed a motion for bail.

In response, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), S. H. Barkun, stated that the state had not received the said motion.

The DPP added that they should have been served within 48 hours before the court sitting, in order for them to respond to the motion.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to today for hearing of the bail application.

In count one, Wowo was accused of writing a letter dated 3rd December 2012 to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) informing them that the registrar of the High Court Mrs. Mariama Ceesay informed him (Wowo) that Mrs. Amie Bensouda requested for records, which Mariama Ceesay refused and referred her to the Sheriff of the High Court Mr. Buba Jawo, information he knew to be false.

On count two, prosecutors accused Wowo of writing a letter to National Intelligence Agency on December 3, 2012 informing them that the staff of the high court registry informed him (Wowo) that Amie Bensouda said that they compile all cases and not land cases, information prosecutors said Wowo knew to be false or believed to be false.

Count three’s indictment stated that Joseph Wowo on or about the 3rd of December 2012, wrote a letter dated 3rd December 2012 to the National Intelligence Agency informing them that Miss Anna Njie from Amie Bensouda’s Chamber lied to you (Wowo) when she told you that the information they wanted was only relating to land cases, information you knew to be or believed to be false.

In count four, Wowo was further accused that within the same time and place of writing to the NIA, informed them that the conduct of Amie Bensouda tended to undermine the administration of the Judiciary, information he knew to be false.

On count five, prosecutors accused Wowo of writing to the NIA within same time and place, informing them that Mrs. Amie Bensouda conducted her activities in a clandestine manner, information he knew or believed to be false.

On count six, Wowo was accused of writing another letter informing the NIA that after his letter of complaint to the NIA about the activities of Amie Bensouda, her Chamber later sent a letter requesting for a collection of data on the resolution of land disputes, information he knew or believed to be false.

Wowo was accused on count seven of informing the National Intelligence Agency that the letters from Amie Bensouda and Co was received by him (Wowo) on the 6th December 2012, information he knew or believed to be false.