The
case involving ex-Ministry of Agricultural officials accused of economic crime,
abuse of office and neglect of official duty before Justice Abi of the Banjul
High Court, failed to proceed yesterday again due to the absence of the 3rd
accused person, Ada Gaye.
The accused persons are Lamin Fatajo, the ex-programme coordinator of Rural Finance Project, Lamin Mass, ex-administrative manager of the Rural Finance Project and Ada Gaye, ex-permanent secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture in Banjul.
When the case was called, the state counsel, Adeyemi, informed the court that the 3rd accused had been served a notice to appear in court.
She said since she was not in court and they were charged together, she was asking for a short adjournment date.
The defence counsel, L.S. Camara, did not object to the state’s application to adjourn the case.
The case continues on 26 March 2015, for plea-taking.
According to the indictment, which was not read in court, the accused persons Lamin Fatajo and Lamin Mass, in count one, stated that between February and November 2013 in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, within the jurisdiction, while being employed as programme coordinator of Rural Finance Project and acting Finance administrative manager of the Rural Finance Project, respectively abuse their offices by authorizing and approving the payment of D117,521 as salary advances for project staff, in contravention of the projects finance and administration procedure manual.
Count two stated that the two accused persons between December 2013 and May 2014 neglected their duties by failing to stop the payment of D18,000 as sitting allowances to some committee members who failed to attend such meetings.
Count three stated that the accused persons between December 2013 and May 2014 approved the payment of D18,000 as sitting allowances to some committee members set up to review the union’s finance promotion centre and were not entitled to the same, which act was detrimental to the economy and people of The Gambia.
Count four stated that the accused persons, Lamin Fatajo, Lamin Mass and Ada Gaye between 1st and 31st July 2014 being employed as programme coordinator of Rural Finance Project and acting Finance administrative manager of the Rural Finance Project and permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, respectively, neglected their official duties by authorizing the payment of $14,000 to Sonko Fofana without first seeking and obtaining approval from IFAD.