Momodou
Sabally, the erstwhile Director General of The Gambia Radio and Television
services (GRTS), was yesterday arraigned before Justice E.O. Dada of the High
Court in Banjul.
The
matter was slated for plea-taking by the accused, but could not proceed as the
court deemed it necessary for the accused to be represented by a legal counsel.
The
former head of GRTS was arrested on 8 November 2016 and had been in detention
until yesterday, when he was escorted by two security officers and led into the
courtroom.
When
the case was called, the accused entered the dock and the presiding Judge asked
senior state counsel A.M. Yusuf if the state was having the bill of indictment,
to which he replied in the affirmative.
She
then turned to Sabally and asked him if he had a lawyer, and Sabally said he
has no lawyer.
Justice
Dada then asked the state counsel how did the accused know that he was coming
to court.
Senior
state counsel Yusuf replied that the state asked the security officers to bring
him to court.
At
this juncture, the presiding Judge ordered that the accused be served with the
bill of indictment to enable him (the accused) prepare for his case.
The
matter was then adjourned until 29 November 2016, for plea-taking.
It
would be recalled that Momodou Sabally was arraigned and tried by the High
Court in Banjul last year on charges of neglect of official duty, economic
crime, among others.
The
prosecution closed its case after calling ten witnesses and tendering exhibits
to prove the charges against him.
He
testified as a lone witness in his defence, but as the matter was set for
judgment which was to be delivered by the then presiding judge, Emmanuel Amadi,
the state filed a nolle prosecui to discontinue the trial, and Sabally was
discharged.
