The false information case involving the former chairman of Basse Area Council, Omar Sompo Ceesay, was yesterday withdrawn at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court.
When the case was announced, the police prosecutor Sergeant Manga said, “a directive was received from the President’s Office, directing the office of the Inspector General of Police and copied to the Chief Justice to have this matter withdrawn from the court.
Prosecutor Manga then applied to tender the letter directing them to withdraw the matter, which was accordingly admitted as an exhibit.
“In line with this letter, the prosecution was applying under section 68 of the Criminal Procedure Code to get the matter withdrawn, and the accused person be discharged,” submitted Manga.
The trial Magistrate, Alagbe, indicated that in line with exhibit A and pursuant to the above section, the matter was withdrawn and the accused person was accordingly discharged.
Readers would recall it was alleged that Omar Sompo Ceesay, some time in August 2011, in Banjul, wrote a petition to the Office of the President State House claiming as follows: that the Governor of the Upper River Region, Mr. Omar Khan lobbied for the transfer of Yusupha Manneh to Basse Area Council as CEO; that the Governor recommended Pa Amadou Susso to the Ministry of Local Govt. and Lands for the chairmanship of the Local Government Service Commission; that Mr. Omar Khan as Governor instructed the council to create the Internal Audit Office; that no development was registered since the appointment of Mr. Yusupha Manneh as CEO of Basse Area Council, knowing same information to be false.
