According
to reliable sources, the Gambia Police Force yesterday dropped a single charge
of abuse of office levied against Ebrima Jawara, former permanent secretary at
the Office of the President.
It
would be recalled that this paper reported that on 21 December 2015, Mr Jawara
was arrested, charged with abuse of office and detained overnight at the Banjul
police headquarters.
He
was released on police bail on 22 December 2015.
Ebrima
Jawara, son of former President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, was alleged to have
abused his office, by recommending a police officer to be a member of a
committee that was set up under the Office of the President, tasked with
monitoring and coordinating the Ministry of Agriculture projects, without
consulting the Inspector General of Police.
The
case never proceeded to court. However, Mr Jawara was on police bail until
yesterday when the charge was dropped.
Currently,
he is being tried at the high court in Banjul on nineteen (19) counts,
including abuse of office and economic crime.
He
is also facing another charge of punishment for malicious injuries at the
Banjul Magistrates’ Court.
Mr
Jawara was the coordinator of the Central Projects Coordinating Unit overseeing
donor-funded projects under the Ministry of Agriculture, and also permanent
secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture.
