In GNOC case, defence awarded D2,000 costs

Magistrate Tabally of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court, on 28 March 2011, awarded costs of D2,000 to the defence in the case involving Beatrice Allen, Ousman Wadda and Muhammed Janneh, all officials of the Gambia National Olympic Committee, GNOC.

This development followed the application made by defence counsel Ida Drammeh, for the court to award the defence costs because Corporal 3560 Colley, who was holding brief for Superintendent Camara, had applied for an adjournment.

CPL 3560 Colley told the court that he had received instructions from the prosecuting officer to crave the court's indulgence to adjourn the case, because he (Superintendent Camara) was not feeling well and would not be available to proceed with the case.

Lawyer Drammeh rose to say that she was surprised that the prosecution would come up with such an excuse. She applied for costs.

Magistrate Tabally then told the court that the prosecution should expedite the case, adding that it had been delayed on two occasions.

He further stated that he was adjourning the case for the last time, and awarded costs of D2,000 to the defence.

He consequently adjourned the case till 4th April for continuation.

It would be recalled that Beatrice Allen, Ousman Wadda and Muhammed Janneh, all GNOC officials, were earlier arraigned before Magistrate Tabally and charged with stealing D34,000, believed to have been allowances meant for the former GNOC president, Lang Tombong Tamba.

They had since denied the charge.

On 7 March 2011, the first prosecution witness, Omar Drammeh, an officer of NDEA, told the court that it was GFA president Seedy Kinteh who told him that he (Seedy) had received D24,000 from Ousman Wadda for safe keeping.

The second prosecution witness, Lawrence Bruce, testified that the accused persons did not take monies that are the subject matter of the case.

Mr George Gomez, the third prosecution witness, had told the court that he did not know why he was in court.