Sira
Wally Ndow-Njai and 9 other GNPC officials yesterday took a fresh plea on an
amended charge sheet filed by DPP S.H. Barkun to include Madun Sanyang, before
Justice O. Ottaba of the Special Criminal Court in Banjul.
The
accused persons are Sira Wally Ndow-Njai, Momodou O.S. Badjie, Fafa Sanyang,
Cherno Marena, Seedy Kanyi, Muntaga Momodou Sallah, Momodou Taal, Louie Moses
Mendy, Noah Touray and Madun Sanyang.
When
the case was called, senior Counsel A.A.B. Gaye, S.M. Tambadou, O.M.M. Njie, C.
Gaye, L.S. Camara, E. Sanneh, A.N.D. Bensouda, H.S. Sabally, B.S.N. Conteh, Y.
Senghore, B. Bouye, E.E. Chime, and S. Taal appeared for the defendants.
DPP
S.H. Barkun, deputy DPP M.B. Abubacarr and A. Yakubu represented the state.
After
cross-examination, the DPP raised the issue of the pending amendment before the
court, so the new accused person’s name could be added to the charge sheet for
plea-taking.
The
defence did not object to the amendment, but reminded the court that the
witness should be recalled for examination-in-chief for the new accused person
for further cross-examination.
The
trial judge granted the amendment, and ruled that the witness would be recalled
for examination-in-chief by the state.
The
new accused person’s name was included in count 1 and 3 and the accused, Madun
Sanyang, alongside other accused persons whose names were listed on count 1 and
3 pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charge, when it was read to them in court.
Meanwhile,
under cross-examination by defence counsel E.E. Chime for 6th accused, the
witness, Bakary Darboe, PW1 confirmed that he obtained a cautionary statement
from the 6th accused, which was tendered in court as an exhibit.
He
added that it was correct that the 6th accused was dismissed from the GNPC as
PS in the Ministry of Petroleum, before the contract was initiated.
He
said he could not remember seeing the dismissal letter of the 6th accused
during their investigation.
He
further stated that he did not know whether any member of the investigating
panel saw the dismissal letter.
Responding
to questions from defence counsel Mene, representing the 7th accused, PW1 said
apart from the opening paragraph from the 7th accused’s cautionary statement,
all the other paragraphs were numbered from 1 to 12.
He
said the paragraphs are in response to questions posed to the 7th accused.
He
added that each of the paragraphs is in response to a particular question.
He
said he could not remember all the questions posed to the 7th accused that
elicited the answers.
He
said it was as a result of their investigation that the questions were raised.
