Abdoulhmadi Adiamoh, proprietor and editor-in-chief of Today newspaper, after a week in custody is to appear today at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court, where he is expected to explain why he should not be charged with contempt of court.
His appearance followed an arrest warrant issued by the Banjul Magistrates’ Court after defence counsel Badou S. M. Conteh complained before the court that somebody “used” Today newspaper to personally attack him as a defence counsel in the case.
Lawyer Badou S.M. Conteh is defending Alhagie Gumbo Ali Touray, who is standing trial at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court for the offence of giving false information to a public officer.
Though the said article was not bearing any byline, the editor-in-chief would be in a position to tell the court where he got his or her facts, counsel said.
Counsel added that the court could bear him witness that he was doing his cross-examination of the witness, based on the documents before the court, so it would not be proper for a responsible journalist to carry this kind of news in his newspaper.
“We all know the journalists are doing a very important job in the society, but equally it would not be fair for the journalist to personally attack me as a counsel instead of write what had happened in court”, he said.
He added that somebody used Today newspaper to personally attack him as counsel, and as counsel, he was doing his Job as expected of him, to defend his client to the best of his ability.
The article in question was said to have been published in the newspaper’s edition of 19 June 2012.
Readers would recall that Mr. Adiamoh was arrested by the police on 20 June 2012 based on the court order for him to be brought before the court to explain why he should not be charged with contempt of court.
The matter is expected to go to court today.
