The trial involving two journalists at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before senior Magistrate Lamin Mbye, yesterday failed to proceed due to the ill-health of the trial magistrate.
Musa Sheriff, editor-in-chief and publisher of The Voice newspaper, and Sainey M.K. Marena, a freelance journalist, were charged with conspiracy to cause a misdemeanour and publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public, which both denied.
The case which was not called in court was subsequently adjourned to 26 March 2014, for hearing.
Sainey M.K. Marena and Musa Sheriff were accused in count one, that on 6 December 2013 in Banjul and diverse places, to have conspired to cause a misdemeanour by publishin in The Voice newspaper a story entitled “19 Green Youths Join the opposition UDP” dated 6 December 2013, and thereby committed an offence.
In count two, the two journalists were accused of making the publication knowing or having reason to believe that it was likely to cause fear to the public or disturb the public peace, and thereby committed an offence.