Sabally case stalls

The criminal trial involving the state against Momodou Sabally, the former Director General of the Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS), could not proceed on Thursday before Justice E.O. Dada at the High Court in Banjul.

It would be noted that Sabally is standing trial on eight counts of economic crime, neglect of official duty, among others.

It would be recalled that Sabally had refused to take his plea when he submitted that the matter before the court had already been decided, when the state filed a nolle prosecui.

At the last court sitting on 13 December 2016, the presiding judge overruled Sabally’s objection and ordered him to take his plea on the charges before the court. 

At about 1:00pm on Thursday, Sabally was escorted from the National Intelligence Agency headquarters by two plainclothes officers into the high court premises, where they waited at the verandah of Justice E.O. Dada’s court.

Sabally was met by friends, well-wishers and relatives, who have waited patiently for him and, after about an hour, the clerk of Justice Dada came out and informed the gathering that the matter had been adjourned until 9 January 2017.

Meanwhile, there was neither any counsel from the Attorney General’s Chambers nor any private legal practitioner seen around the courtroom.