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Foroyaa messenger acquitted and discharged

Sep 10, 2014, 10:20 AM | Article By: Dawda Faye

Magistrate Aji Amie Jagne of the Kanifing magistrates’ court on 9 September 2014 acquitted and discharged Mass Kah, a messenger of the Foroyaa newspaper, who was charged with sedition.

The prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, she declared.

Delivering her judgment, magistrate Jagne recalled that Mass Kah was charged with sedition, after he uttered the statement: “Why can’t you paste the photo of the President on the sky?”

Mass Kah denied the allegation, and the prosecution called witnesses. After the closure of the prosecution’s case, Mass Kah opened his defence and did not call any witness.

The prosecution witnesses testified that Mass Kah told the complainant: “If you wish, you can paste the photo of the President on the sky.”

Mass Kah also said in his evidence-in-chief: “If you wish, you can paste the photo of the President on the sky.”

This statement could not bring hatred, disaffection and disrespect to the person of the President, she said.

What the charge sheet stated was different from the evidence of the witnesses of the prosecution, she added.

As a result, she acquitted and discharged Mass Kah.

Sergeant 3560 Colley represented the IGP and Lawyer Lamin Camara represented Mass Kah.