This move followed the application made by ASP Touray by virtue of Section 68(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code to withdraw the case. “Your Worship, we do not intend to proceed with the case. We urge the court to grant our application,” stated Prosecutor Touray.
Jarra Jeng, who was holding brief for lawyers L.S. Camara and L. Darboe, did not object to the application made by ASP Touray to withdraw the case.
Subsequently, the presiding magistrate granted the application and accordingly discharged the two journalists, who came out of the courtroom, smiling.
It was the evidence of the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Honourable Seeday Njie, that he lives at Salagie. He stated that he is the Deputy Speaker and Deputy Spokesperson of NPP. He asserted that he recognized Musa Sheriff. He adduced that his primary responsibility is for dissemination of information on behalf of NPP.
Commissioner A. Sanneh, the prosecuting officer, asked him how he would regard information that comes from another person other than him. He answered that it would be totally false, damaging and speculative. He testified that he recalled the 22nd September, 2024. He stated that Musa Sheriff placed a call to him that there was hot news on his desk. According to him, Musa Sheriff told him that he wanted him to confirm it before going to press.
“I asked him what the news was about. He told me that he received information from two NPP executive members that the party’s flag bearer is Muhammed Jah and was asking me to verify it. I told him that I will not grant him an interview unless he revealed the two executive members,” the witness told the court.
He narrated that Sheriff told him to grant him an interview but he replied that he must tell him his source of information. He adduced that Sheriff told him that he knew him during his NAPSA days. “I told him Sheriff that if he published the information, it would be false and injurious to the president. I told him that there will be no interview. He agreed and told me that he would come to me but he never did. I surprisingly saw a story in “The Voice” newspaper that President Barrow had chosen Muhammed Jah as his successor. I was shocked and surprised,” the witness said.
He further testified that he was in parliament and he had calls and that people were dismayed. “Everybody was shocked and confused because the executive had never discussed anything about a flag bearer” he recalled.
Honourable Njie was asked whether he would be able to recognize “The Voice” newspaper if it was shown to him, and he answered in the positive. Commissioner Sanneh then gave him a copy of “The Voice” newspaper to have a look, which he did and confirmed.
At that juncture, Commissioner Sanneh applied to tender the said newspaper for ID purposes, and his application was granted by the court. The newspaper was admitted as an exhibit when the defence said they had no objection to the said newspaper to be tendered as an ID.
L. S. Camara also applied to tender the newspaper as an exhibit and his application was granted.
“I don’t know Binta Jaiteh. I was disappointed when I saw her name on the paper. I was shocked because I did not grant her an interview. There was no executive meeting where they discussed President Barrow’s successor. The publication has caused disunity, confusion, pandemonium and disappointment,” he further said.
He was expected yesterday to be cross-examined by L. S. Camara to challenge, discredit and contradict him but the case was laid to rest.
