Magistrate
Omar Cham of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court yesterday adjourned the case
involving Sira Wally Ndow Njai, Momodou O.S. Badjie, Fafa Sanyang, Edrissa Mass
Jobe, Muntaga Momodou Sallah, Momodou Taal, Seedy Kanyi, Noah Touray, Louie
Moses Mendy and Cherno Marena, for ruling.
The
accused persons were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, neglect of
official duty, giving false information to a public servant and economic crime
specified Offences Act.
In
her bail application, lawyer Ida Drammeh told the court that the accused
persons were in custody for thirty days without being granted bail.
The
court should grant bail to the accused persons, because since 22 June they have
been in custody, she said, citing the constitution to support her argument.
Counsel
Drammeh further told the court that the court could still grant bail to the
accused persons, because the matter was in its jurisdiction.
The
constitution is a living document, and the court has the power to grant bail to
the accused persons, she added.
Lawyer
Awa Sisay-Sabally, lawyer Badou Conteh and lawyer Lamin Camara, all addressed
the court on bail for the accused persons.
In
response, police prosecutor ASP A. Manga said the accused persons might jump
bail if granted bail, adding that “the investigation is still ongoing.”
He,
therefore, urged the court to remand them by sending them back to Mile 2
prison.
The
matter was adjourned until today, for ruling on the bail application.
The
particulars of offence stated that Sira Wally Ndow Njai and Co some time in
2015 and 2016, in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, collectively came
together to award and sign a contract with March Trading knowing or having
reasons to believe that the contract was not genuine.
It
was also indicated that Sira Wally Ndow Njai and Co some time in 2015, in
Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, collectively failed to go through a
major tendering board prior to awarding the contract to March Trading, and also
failed to form a technical committee to address the board on technical matters.
It
further read that the accused persons some time in 2015 and 2016, in Banjul and
diverse places in The Gambia, collectively came together to award and sign a
contract with March Trading knowing or having reasons to believe that the
contract was not genuine.
It
was further stated that Sira Wally Ndow some time in 2015, in Banjul and
diverse places in The Gambia, gave an impression to His Excellency the President
of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia that March Petroleum would build a
refinery and petrol stations for GNPC in The Gambia, knowingly or having reason
to believe it to be false.
It
stated further that Sira Wally Ndow and Co some time in 2015, in Banjul and
diverse places in The Gambia, collectively came together to award and sign a
contract with March Trading, knowingly or having reason to believe that the
contract was not authentic and thereby caused a loss of over US$12 million to
the economy of The Gambia.
It
was also stated that Sira Wally Ndow and Co some time in 2015, in Banjul and
diverse places in The Gambia, collectively came together to award and sign a
contract with March Trading, knowingly or having reason to believe that the
contract was not authentic and, therefore, the travel to Dubai has caused loss
of D3,610,656 to the economy of The Islamic Republic of The Gambia.
