GRTS FORMER DIRECTOR GENERAL FINALLY GRANTED BAIL

GAMBIA/Erstwhile Secretary General, Head of the Civil Service and Presidential Affairs and served as Director General of  Gambia Radio and Television Services before his arrest Mr. Momodou Sabally today 9 January, 2017 appeared at the High Court in Banjul, charged with eight counts ranging from Economic Crimes, Abuse of office, Neglect of official duty and giving false information.

However, Mr. Momodou Saballyy had denied any wrong doing and consequently released on bail by Justice Aminata Saho Ceesay on conditions that he provides the sum of one million dalasi or two Gambian sureties with landed properties value of the said sum. Consequently, the matter was adjourned to February 2nd, 2017 for hearing. Prior to his release on bail, Momodou Sabally was in custody at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) for almost two months.

His attorney, barrister Lamin S Camara on the 6th of December last year, filed a motion for the accused to be release on bail which wasn’t opposed by the state. Given that the bar association boycotted the courts; the accused took it upon himself to move the motion. Consequently, he was granted bail. According to the particulars of offence on count one, the aforesaid person about the month of May 2014 at Banjul, within the jurisdiction of the court did commit an offence to wit:

while serving as Secretary General, Head of the Civil Service and Minister for Presidential Affairs caused economic loss to Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation to the tune of four hundred and two thousand five hundred dalasis (D402,500) by unduly influencing the said Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation to fund a program titled “Youth Career Development Program” organized by one Mariama Sillah and thereby committed an offence. Count two particulars of offence alleged that the accused sometimes in the month of May, 2014 in Banjul within the jurisdiction of the court, did commit an offence to wit:

while serving as the Secretary General, Head of the Civil Service and Minister for Presidential Affairs caused economic loss to the Government of the Gambia to the tune of thirty eight thousand four hundred and twenty four dalasis (38,424:00) being money received by him as per diem for a trip to South Africa in order to attend the inauguration ceremony of President Jacob Zuma which inauguration he neglected and failed to attend and thereby committed an offence.