Nine people were Monday arraigned before Magistrate Dayoh Small of the Brikama Magistrates’ Court, charged with three counts of obstruction, willful damage to property and assault.
Paul Mendy, Billy Mendy, Demba Jallow, Sang Mendy, Simon Mendy, John Mendy, Baboucarr Jallow, Modou Jobe and Sellou Bah denied the charges.
The charge sheet in count one read that the accused persons on 13 March 2014, in Jambur village, West Coast Region, jointly obstructed the PIU officers who were deployed to maintain peace and security during the demolition exercise at the said address, and thereby committed an offence.
Count two stated that the accused persons on the same date and place willfully threw stones to a machine called Bulldozer and broke its glass during the demolition exercise at the said address, and thereby committed an offence.
Count three stated that the accused jointly assaulted one Folonko Ousman Bojang and the PIU officers who were deployed to maintain peace and security by hitting them with stones and blow over their bodies, and thereby committed an offence.
However, the prosecuting officer, Inspector Kinteh, told the court that he was applying to withdraw the charges preferred against the accused persons based on the fact that the prosecution received directives from the police command office to do so until further directives.
In response, defence counsel, ME Gomez, said they were not objecting to the withdrawal of the case by the prosecution.
The trial magistrate said he would therefore dismiss and strike out the case from the court’s records.
