Two of the five criminal charges preferred against Mr. Chibuizo Oguike, alias Alex, the Managing Director of the Daily Express newspaper, who is currently serving a jail term, were yesterday dropped.
Principal State Counsel S.H. Bakum told the court presided over by Justice Jobarteh of the Banjul High Court that he was advised by the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to withdraw the two remaining charges of obtaining goods by false pretence and making a document without an authority.
According to state counsel S.H. Bakum, "an instrument that was received by the DPP stated that the accused person is in no way indebted to the said bank."
This application follows the conviction of Mr. Chibuizo Oguike, the Managing Director of the Daily Express newspaper, by Justice Joseph on three counts of forgery, obtaining credit by false pretence and uttering false document.
Following Mr. Bakun's application, the court acquitted and discharged Mr. Oguike from the two charges.
The particulars of the offence on the first count stated that Mr. Oguike, sometime in June 2009, with intent to defraud presented to International Commercial Bank Ltd a forged letter of undertaking, which he knew to be false and on account of which he obtained the sum of D25,000 from the said bank.
The second count stated that Mr. Oguike without lawful authority wrote and signed a letter of undertaking in the name of Momodou Jallow of the Gambia Telecommunication Cellular Company Ltd.
