The trial of Moses B Johnson Richards was yesterday adjourned till 17th January 2011, at the Banjul Magistrates' Court, before Principal Magistrate Emmanuel Nkea.
The adjournment followed the writing of a letter by the Gambia Bar Association (GBA) to the Attorney General's Chambers regarding Moses Richards' case.
Moses Richards was first arraigned on 31st December 2010, and charged with two counts of giving false information and sedition.
He vehemently denied the charges, and was subsequently remanded in custody until 3rd January 2011 when he was granted bail of D500 with one Gambian surety, who must have two landed properties within the Greater Banjul Area.
The bail condition further stipulated that the accused person should deposit all his travel documents with the assistant registrar of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court.
The alleged offence on count one read that Moses B Richards Johnson on16 November 2010, at Banjul, knowingly gave false information to the Sheriff's Division of The Gambia to wit that His Excellency the President of The Gambia has ordered the stay of execution of the writ of possession in civil suit No349\92B NO.28 with intent to cause the Sheriff of the Gambia to stop the execution of the said writ of possession.
On count two it stated that on 16th November 2010, at Banjul, published a letter to the Sheriff of the Gambia, stating that His Excellency the President of the Republic of the Gambia had ordered the stay of execution of a writ of possession in civil suit No 394 B NO28, with intent to bring into contempt the person of the said President.
During yesterday's proceedings, state counsel Simeon Abi informed the court that the case was adjourned for continuation of hearing.
He posited that the case could not proceed because the Gambia Bar Association wrote a letter to the state prosecutors challenging the charges against Moses Richards.
State counsel further added that the state was applying for a fortnight’s adjournment to enable the prosecution to advise themselves.
Richards was represented by the Gambia Bar Association led by senior counsel Surahata Janneh, who informed the court that the Bar was not opposing an adjournment.
The case was subsequently adjourned till 17 January 2011 for hearing.
In a separate development, the trial on four counts of former police chief Ensa Badjie and Tijan Badjie, officer commanding prosecution at Banjul Division, could also not proceed yesterday before Principal Magistrate Emmanuel Nkea of the Banjul Magistrates' Court.
When the case was called, state counsel Simeon Abi rose to announce his representation for the state.
He then informed the court that the state was applying for an adjournment, since the state prosecutor involved in the case was not in court.
"I will talk to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) about the case," he said.
Trial magistrate told the state counsel that, since the case was mentioned, that was the third time it had come up without proper representation from the state.
He added that the counsel involved in the case was not in court again.
The case was subsequently adjourned till 24th January 2011 for hearing.
