Former director of fisheries, four others discharged

Nfamara Dampha, the former director of fisheries, Abdoulie Njie, Musa Jawla, Joseph Gabidon, Nfamara Darboe and Mataar Bah, all being former officials of the Department of Fisheries were yesterday discharged by Justice Sainabou Wadda Cisse of the High Court in Banjul.

Their discharged followed a nolle prosecui filed by the state for the discontinuance of their trial.

The accused persons were charged with economic crimes, neglect of official duty and disobedience of statutory duty amongst others in 2013.

During yesterday sitting, state counsel B. Sanneh informed the court that the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice had filed a nolle prosecui on 14 June 2017, pursuant to section 85 (1) (c) of the constitution.

In his response, defence counsel, Musa Batchilly, raised no objection to the application but indicated that he was not served with a copy of the nolle prosecui filed by the state.

He applied that the court made an order to release travel documents, ID cards and title deeds of the accused persons.

Subject to the nolle prosecui filed by the state, the presiding Judge thereby discharged the accused persons and directed that the registrars of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court and the High Court to return the documents belonging to the accused persons.