They are said to have done this while serving in different capacities at the Rural Finance Project.
The case which was before Magistrate Fatou Darboe of the Banjul Magistrates’ has now been transferred to the High Court in Banjul.
Meanwhile, the agriculture officials were on 7 September 2015, arraigned before Magistrate Darboe on a ten-count charge including economic crime, stealing by clerk or servant, theft and abuse of office.
After plea taking, the police prosecutor, Inspector A. Manga, applied for the matter to be transferred to the High Court on the grounds that the said the magistrates’ court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case, and urged the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody.
In her ruling, the presiding magistrate, based on section 9 of the Economic Crime Act, ordered that the case be transferred to the Office of the Chief Justice for re-assignment and the accused persons be remanded in prison custody.
The particulars of the offence in count one stated that Dr Alasan Bah, Ebrima Jawara, Sulayman Manneh and Lamin Fatajo, sometime in 2008 and 2011 in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, being the project coordinator for Rural Finance Project (RFP), allocated themselves a monthly fuel allowance of D8, 432,720 for two months without approval from the Project Steering Committee.
The particulars in count two stated that Dr Alasan Bah, Ebrima Jawara, Sulayman Manneh and Lamin Fatajo, some time in 2008 and 2011 in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, while serving in different capacities at the Rural Finance Project (RFP) under the Government of The Gambia, abused their functions and responsibilities.
Count three stated that Dr Alasan Bah, Ebrima Jawara, Sulayman Manneh and Lamin Fatajo, some time in 2008 and 2011 in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, while serving in different capacities at the Rural Finance Project (RFP) under the Government of The Gambia, abused their functions and responsibilities.
Count four indicated that Ebrima Jawara, some time in 2008 and 2011 in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, while serving as the project coordinator for Rural Finance Project (RFP), took a loan of D300, 000 from PIWAMP, the repayment of which was diverted into personal use.
Count five read that Ebrima Jawara, some time in 2008 and 2011 in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, while serving as the project coordinator for Rural Finance Project (RFP), stole D300,000 , which was meant for loan repayment to PIWAMP.
Count six indicated that Ebrima Jawara, some time in 2008 and 2011 in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, being the project coordinator for Rural Finance Project (RFP), fraudulently paid on behalf of Bai Ndongo Faal in relation to a training an amount of D110, 731 to GAMSAVINGS, thereby causing economic loss to Government of The Gambia.
Count seven revealed that Dr Alasan Bah, some time in 2008 and 2011 in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, being the project coordinator for Rural Finance Project (RFP), received a fuel allowance amounting to D100,500 which he could not account for, thereby causing economic loss to the Government of The Gambia.
Count eight stated that Dr Alasan Bah, some time in 2008 and 2011 in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, being the project coordinator for Rural Finance Project (RFP), caused economic loss to Government of The Gambia through his Africell roaming SIM card.
Count nine revealed that Dr Alasan Bah, sometime in 2008 and 2011 in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, being the project coordinator for Rural Finance Project (RFP), diverted an amount of D740,125 meant for the training vote, thereby causing economic loss to Government of The Gambia.
Count ten indicated that Momodou Lamin Mass, some time in 2008 and 2001 in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, being the acting Finance and Administrative manager for Rural Finance Project (RFP), awarded contracts to different vendors amounting to D8,113,132 without competitive bidding, thereby causing economic loss to Government of The Gambia.
