D-Day for UDP national treasurer AmadouSanneh

The Gambia Court of Appeal presided over by Appeal Court President Justice E.F. M’Bai, with the assistance of Justice Wadda-Sallah and Justice Awa Bah, is today expected to deliver judgment in the appeal case filed by the United Democratic Party’s national treasurer, Amadou Sanneh.

Amadou Sanneh is challenging the decision of the Special Criminal Court that convicted and sentenced him to five years in prison on 18 December 2013.

During the adoptions of briefs by both counsels on 30 June 2015, senior counsel for the appellant, Ousainou Darboe, said he wished to adopt the appellant’s briefs of argument dated 14 January 2015 and the reply on points of law dated 13 May 2015 and filed on 14 May 2015.

He said they were relying on the briefs of argument and reply on points of law, as well as all the authorities cited, and further urged the court to grant the appeal and enter a verdict of acquittal.

MB Abubakar said he wished to adopt the respondent’s brief and urged the court to dismiss the appeal.

It would be recalled that the state, in count one, accused Amadou Sanneh (National Treasurer of United Democratic Party), that sometime in September 2013 in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, he conspired with others to commit an act with a seditious intention, and thereby committed an offence.

Count two stated that Amadou Sanneh (National Treasurer of United Democratic Party) sometime in September 2013, with the intent to bring hatred or contempt or excite disaffection against the person of the President of the Republic of The Gambia or the Government of The Gambia, printed a malicious document titled “ATTESTATION” on a letterhead paper of the United Democratic Party (UDP), and thereby committed an offence.

The state in count four further accused Amadou Sanneh (National Treasurer of United Democratic Party) that sometime in September 2013, he falsely made a declaration before one Bakary Baldeh, a commissioner of oaths, with the knowledge that the said declaration was false, and thereby committed an offence.