Observer editor, others arraigned, remanded

Alhagie Jobe, deputy editor-in-chief of the Daily Observer newspaper, and one Mbye Bittaye, were yesterday arraigned before Magistrate Hilary Abeke of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court and subsequently remanded in custody.

Jobe faces six charges of seditious intent, seditious publication, possession of seditious publication, giving false information to a public officer, forgery, and making document without authority, while Mbye Bittaye faces a charge of unlawful inquiries relating to possibility of forgery.

The accused persons denied the charges.

The particulars of offence on count one stated that the 1st accused person, Alhagie Jobe, between 2012 and 2013, at the Daily Observer Company, in the Kanifing Municipality, whilst employed as Deputy Editor-in-chief of the Daily Observer Company,  published in the said newspaper on the 19th December 2012 edition that “Major Lamin Touray on the run from imminent re-arrest and detention and charged in absentia for breach of office ethics and codes by refusing to take orders in execution of some people,” with intent to bring hatred and to incite disaffection against the person of the President of the Republic of The Gambia and the Government of The Gambia, and thereby committed an offence.

Count two stated that Alhagie Jobe, between 2012 and 2013 at the Daily Observer Company in the Kanifing Municipality, whilst employed as deputy chief editor of the Daily Observer company, published in the Daily Observer newspaper of 19 December edition that, “Major Lamin Touray on the run from imminent re-arrest and detention, and charged in absentia for breach of ethics and codes, by refusing to take orders in the execution of some people,” the publication he made to bring hatred and to incite disaffection against the person of the President of the Republic of The Gambia and the Government of The Gambia, and thereby committed an offence.

Count three stated that Alhagie Jobe in the said year and place was found in possession of a publication of the Daily Observer newspaper of 19 December 2012 edition with the inscription that, “Major Lamin Touray on the run from imminent re-arrest and detention, and charged in absentia for breach of office ethics and codes, by refusing to take orders in the execution of some people,” a publication which sought to bring about hatred and to incite disaffection against the person of the President of the Republic of The Gambia and the Government of The Gambia, and thereby committed an offence.

Count four read that Alhagie Jobe in the said year at the Daily Observer Company in the Kanifing Municipality, gave false information to the management of the Daily Observer and the general public by publishing in the said newspaper of 12 December 2012 that “Lamin Touray on the run from imminent re-arrest and detention, and was charged in absentia for breach of office ethics and codes for refusing to take orders in the execution of some people,” the publication which he knew was false and untrue, and thereby committed an offence.

Count five stated that Alhagie Jobe, in the said year at the Daily Observer Company in the Kanifing Municipality, forged a document in which he stated that “Lamin Touray on the run from imminent re-arrest and detention, and charged in absentia for breach of office ethics and codes for refusing to take orders in the execution of some people” and printed and published the same in the Daily Observer newspaper of 12 December 2012 edition, and thereby committed an offence.

Count six stated that Alhagie Jobe, in the said year at the Daily Observer Company in the Kanifing Municipality, made a document in which he stated that “Lamin Touray on the run from imminent re-arrest and detention, and charged in absentia for breach of office ethics and codes for refusing to take orders in the execution of some people” and printed and published the same in the Daily Observer newspaper of 12 December 2012 edition, with intent to deceive, and thereby committed an offence.

Count seven stated that the 2nd accused, Mbye Bittaye, between 2012 and 2013 at the Daily Observer Company in the Kanifing Municipality, made inquiries in the said newspaper with intent to make forged document on behalf of Lamin Touray and was published in the Daily Observer newspaper that “Lamin Touray on the run from imminent re-arrest and detention, and charged in absentia for breach of office ethics and codes for refusing to take orders in the execution of some people”, and printed and published the same in the Daily Observer newspaper of 12 December 2012 edition, with intent to deceive, and thereby committed an offence.

The accused persons were subsequently remanded in custody pending the trial, with hearing now set for 19 March 2013.