The Banjul High Court presided over by Justice Abi
yesterday reviewed the bail conditions of Fisheries ministry official Famara
Darboe.
Mr Darboe is among nine Fisheries officials earlier arraigned before Magistrate Samsideen Conteh of the Banjul Magistrate on an eleven-count charge, including economic crime, abuse of office and neglect of official duty.
The conditions reviewed by the court stated that the applicant was granted bail of D5 million with five Gambian sureties.
Each of the sureties shall depose to an affidavit of means with a landed property valued at D1 million.
The applicant shall also deposit all his travel documents with the registrar of the high court.
When the case was called, the defence counsel, S.M. Tambadou, informed the court that he had spoken with the state on the matter, and the state intended to lean on the court to exercise its discretion. Counsel Tambadou said they filed a motion dated 10 March 2015 supported by an affidavit of one Fakebba Darboe.
He said the application was for the court to review the conditions of the applicant.
He said the applicant was granted bail by the court in the sum of D5 million with two Gambian sureties each of whom shall swear to an affidavit of means, and must be the owner of a landed property with the value of not less than D2.5 million.
He said the applicant was granted bail on 11 March 2015 together with eight others who had fulfilled the bail conditions, and the applicant was the only one who remained.
He said the applicant had sureties who were willing to bail him, but they are farmers who did not have a landed property valued at D2.5 million.
He said the applicant is a family man with children to feed, and if the bail conditions are not reviewed by the court, the applicant would continue to languish in jail.
He said the applicant would continue to stay in the country and defend his case.
The trial judge, Justice Abi, ruled accordingly.