Former APRC NAM, head of Green Boys charged

Charges have been brought against Kebba E.A. Touray, a former APRC National Assembly Member for Illiassa constituency and Alhagie Musa Joof, head of the Green Boys and Girls at Farafenni, in the North Bank Region.

The two, who appeared before Magistrate Emmanuel Nkea of the Banjul Magistrates' Court recently, are charged with three counts namely, conspiracy to commit a misdemeanour, making document without authority and giving false information to a public officer.

Touray and Joof, both of whom pleaded not guilty to the charges, were granted bail in the sum of D300, 000, with one Gambian surety who must be a resident within the Greater Banjul Area and swears to an affidavit of means and D150, 000 with one Gambian surety who must swear to an affidavit respectively.

According to the particulars of the offence, on count one, Kebba E.A. Touray and Alhagie Musa Joof sometime in the month of March 2010 in Banjul allegedly conspired and wrote a petition letter to the Office of the President through the Secretary-General against the Governor of the North Bank Region and four others. They stated in the letter that the Governor of North Bank Region, the Seyfo Upper Baddibou, the National Assembly Member for Upper Badibou, the Chairman of Kerewan Area Council and the National Youth Mobiliser for North Bank Region have embarked on illegal demolition and selling of stalls, along the Farafenni and Kerewan highway occupied by individuals since 1992, which information they knew to be false.

Count two stated that, Kebba EA Touray, sometime in the month of March 2010 in Banjul, without authority allegedly executed a petition letter, dated 7th March 2010, on behalf of APRC militants namely, Alhagie Momodou Musa Jammeh, Ousman Masanneh Marong, Sambou Edrisa Sanyang and Alhagie Lamin Kebba Jadama.

On count three, Kebba EA Touray is alleged to have sometime in the month of March 2010 at Banjul, gave false information to the President through the Office of the Secretary-General in a petition letter that the Governor of North Bank Region, the Seyfo for Upper Baddibou, the National Youth Mobiliser, the National Assembly Member for Upper Baddibou and Chairman of Kerewan Area Council have embarked on illegal demolition and selling of stalls along the Farafenni and Kerewan highway occupied by individuals since 1992, which information he knew was false.

The counsel for the accused persons, Assan Martin, applied for bail on behalf of his clients. He said the alleged offence is a bailable one and, therefore, urged the court to grant his clients bail.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Camara told the court that the prosecution was not opposing bail for the accused persons. He added that the issue of bail was at the discretion of the court. 

The presiding magistrate granted bail to the accused persons.

The case was subsequently adjourned to 15th July 2010, to allow the prosecution to call witnesses.