The
economic crime case involving former coordinator of the Gambia Emergency
Agricultural Production Project (GEAPP), Sheikh Tijan Sosseh, was on 12
December 2013 adjourned for hearing at the Special Criminal Court in Banjul
before Justice Emmanuel Nkea.
When the case was called, the state counsel, K. Tom, informed the court that the counsel handling the matter was on leave and he could not proceed with the case.
He said he was instructed to come to court and inform the court that the counsel handling the case was on leave and apply for an adjournment.
Senior defence counsel A.B. Gaye, alongside Lamin Camara, objected to the prosecution’s application on the grounds that the reason advanced by the prosecuting counsel was “not reasonable”.
However, the prosecution’s application was granted and the case was adjourned till 15 January 2014, for hearing.
The particulars of the offence in count one stated that Sheikh Tijan Sosseh, while employed as the project coordinator of the Gambia Emergency Agricultural Production Project (GEAPP) failed and or omitted to fully apply the Euro 5.3-million agricultural grant from the European Union through the World Bank and thereby caused the return to the World Bank of the sum of $67,489.20, which omission was detrimental to the Gambian economy and the welfare of the people of The Gambia.
Sheikh Tijan Sosseh was also accused on count two that while employed in the public service of the Gambia as the project coordinator of the Gambia Emergency Agricultural Production Project (GEAPP), neglected to effectively supervise the construction and rehabilitation of a Seed Multiplication Center at Chamen in The Gambia.
On count three, Sheikh Tijan Sosseh was alleged that while employed as the project coordinator of the Gambia Emergency Agricultural Production Project (GEAPP), recklessly paid D15,895,152.25 to general procurement services in spite of the shoddy construction and rehabilitation works at the Chamen Seed Multiplication Centre and thereby caused economic losses to the public bodies in The Gambia to wit, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Gambia Emergency Agricultural Production Project.