Trial of former senior NIA Officers resumes

The criminal trial involving Ebrima Drammeh, Edrissa Jobe alias Alagie Morr, Lamin Darboe  and Omar Jammeh, all former senior officers of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), resumed on Friday before acting-Principal Magistrate Tawio Ade Alagba of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court.

 The former senior NIA operatives are being tried for the offence of conspiracy, assault causing grievous bodily harm and wounding, and common assault.

However, the case could not proceed as D.O. Kulo, the director of Special Litigation was out of the jurisdiction.

State counsel M.B. Abeh applied for an adjournment on the grounds that D.O. Kulo who is handling the case was out of the jurisdiction.

“I have been appearing in this case for almost three times, and I have never sought for an adjournment,” he added.

Responding to the state counsel’s application, lawyer Abdoulie Sissoho alongside L. Frage told the court that the case was supposed to resume on the 13th June 2011, but the state witness was not brought to court.

He pointed out that the charges against he accused persons are serious and they would want to know their fate, adding that they would not mind to accommodate the prosecution for a stand down to brief his witness.

At that juncture, the trial magistrate suggested to the state counsel to proceed with the witness in evidence-in-chief, but state counsel M.B Abeb said he was not prepared, because he did not know that he would be in the case that day.

He said that state counsel Simon Abi was the one who should have been there on that day, but was engaged at the high court.

The particulars of offence on count one alleged that the accused persons in May 2009, at the NIA head office in Banjul, conspired among themselves to caused injuries to the person of Lamin Kabou and Lamin Sima.

Count two further alleged that the three accused persons in May 2009 at National Intelligence Agency (NIA) head office, in Banjul, acted with intent to do some grievous harm to Lamin Kabou.

Count three also alleged that the accused persons in May 2009 wounded one Lamin Kabou by beating him with fist blows, an electric cable and metals.

The particulars of offence on count four indicated that Omar Jammeh in May 2009, at Brikama in the West Coast Region, assaulted the person of Lamin Sima by beating him on his chest.

The case was then adjourned till 6 July 2011.