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Witness absence halts Ben Jammeh and Co trial

Jan 17, 2014, 10:54 AM | Article By: Malamin L.M. Conteh

The absence of the prosecution witness yesterday halted the criminal trial involving the former Director General of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA), Benedict Jammeh, and three others, at Banjul High Court before Justice M. Abdoulahi.

The other accused persons are the former agency’s PRO, Abdoulie Ceesay, former Commissioner of Administration, Yusupha Jatta, and the former director of intelligence and investigation, Foday Barry.

They are being tried under a 21-count criminal charge which included economic crime, giving false information, fabricating evidence, abuse of office, negligence of official duty, theft, among others.

When the case was called, defence counsel Kebba Sanyang and Ozuma announced their respective representation for the accused persons, while the Director of Public Prosecutions, S.H. Barkun, appeared for the state.

The DPP then told the court that he could not proceed, as his witness was not in court, and he applied for an adjournment.

His application was granted, when the defence team did not object.

The case was then adjourned to 29 January 2014.