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Setback in treason case

Dec 3, 2012, 10:03 AM | Article By: Malamin L.M. Conteh

The concealment of treason and perjury case involving Abdoulie Njie and Alieu Lowe recently suffered a setback at the Special Criminal Court in Banjul before Justice Emmanuel Nkea.

When it was called, the case could not proceed on the ground that the prosecution witness had travelled out of the court’s jurisdiction.

The director of Public Prosecution, S.H. Barkun, then applied for an adjournment, saying they could not proceed without a witness.

The application was granted and the case was adjourned till 13 December 2012.

According to the particulars of offence on count one, on 16 March 2006, at diverse places in The Gambia, Abdoulie Njie and Alieu Lowe, knowing that Ndure Cham, Alieu Lowe, Hon. Demba Dem and others intended to stage a coup to overthrow the president and the democratically-elected government of The Gambia by force of arms, did not give the information thereof within all reasonable dispatches to a minister, magistrate, a police officer or a member of the armed forces, and thereby committed an offence.

The particulars of offence on count two stated that, on 19 March 2006, at diverse places in The Gambia, knowing that Ndure Cham, Alieu Lowe Hon. Demba Dem and others intended to stage a coup, did not take reasonable steps to prevent the commission of the offence.

Count three stated that Alieu Lowe in November 2006, at Banjul, within the jurisdiction of the court, gave false testimony in a criminal case No HC- 208-06-CS- 37-A and thereby committed an offence.

The accused persons vehemently denied the charges against them.