Journalists’ trial on February 4

The trial of two journalists was yesterday deferred at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Lamin Mbye.

The case was set for hearing, but adjourned for 4 February 2014.

Musa Sheriff, editor-in-chief and publisher of The Voice newspaper, and Sainey M.K. Marena, a freelance journalist, were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public, which both denied.

Marena and Sheriff were accused in count one that on 6 December 2013 in Banjul and diverse places, to have conspired to publish in The Voice newspaper medium a report headlined: “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 a publication in The Voice newspaper headlined: “19 Green Youths Join the opposition UDP” dated 6 December 2013, “knowing or having reason to believe that the said publication was likely to cause fear to the public or disturb the public peace, and thereby committed an offence”.