Nine
former NIA officials yesterday appeared before Justice Kumba Sillah-Camara of
the High Court in Banjul amidst tight security provided by personnel of the
Police Intervention Unit (PIU) and prisons security officials.
The
nine officials are Yankuba Badjie, former director general of the NIA, Louie
Richard Leese Gomez, Saikou Omar Jeng, Baboucarr Sallah, Yusupha Jammeh, Haruna
Susso, Tamba Mansaray, Lamin Darboe and Lamin Lang Sanyang.
They
were charged with twelve counts of criminal offences including conspiracy to
murder, murder, assault causing actual bodily harm, conspiracy to commit
misdemeanor, forgery and making documents without authority.
When
the matter came up, one of the defence counsel, C.E. Mene, informed the court
that he has not been served with the information regarding the new charge
preferred against his client and the other accused persons.
The
state prosecution team, led by lawyer M.B. Abubacarr, told the court that the
accused persons were served with the bill of indictment inside the courtroom a
few minutes before the presiding judge came into the courtroom.
Lawyer
M.B. Richards said the accused persons may have been served barely five minutes
before the judge came into the courtroom.
He
craved the court’s indulgence to impress upon the state to furnish the defence
with the necessary information, so as to enable the defence prepare for their
case.
Lawyer
C.E. Mene recalled that the court in its ruling at the last court sitting
implored the state to file the proper information.
He
expressed appreciation to the court for taking a positive position to ensure a
fair hearing, but blamed the state in their approach to serve the accused persons
in the dock, noting that the move could delay the expeditious trial of the
matter.
State
prosecutor M.B. Abubacarr responded that the state has been making efforts to
ensure the speedy trial of the case, and that the state has no intention of
delaying the trial of the accused persons.
The
presiding judge, Kumba Sillah-Camara, adjourned the matter until 3 April 2017,
for plea-taking.
