See Below....
Briton murder trial moved to special criminal court
Camara urges court to struck out ‘suspected homo trial’
Briton murder trial moved to special criminal court
Camara urges court to struck out ‘suspected homo trial’
The
Special Criminal Division of the High Court in Banjul on May 16, 2012, convicted
and sentenced to prison four senior officials of the National Drugs Enforcement
Agency (NDEA).
Ibrahim
Bun Sanneh, former Executive Director NDEA, his deputy, Karamo Bojang, the
Finance Director, Ousman Sanneh, and Seedou Bojang, were handed various prison
terms by Justice Emmanuel Nkea. Marie Sanneh, was however, sentenced to
a fine.
They had earlier pleaded not guilty to 30 charges,
including conspiracy to commit felony; abuse of office; official corruption;
stealing; aiding and abetting; and economic crimes. The offences were alleged to have
been committed between January 2005 and April 2010.
On Wednesday, the Judge, Emmanuel Nkea expunged count
14 and 15, which he regarded as “superfluous and bloated”. However, he
said in his judgement that there
were copious and compelling evidence against the accused persons during the
cause of the trial.
Before the sentencing, the defence counsel Kebba
Sanyang, pleaded to the court not to hand his clients a custodial sentence. He
said they are family men and have served the country for a long time.
Having considered the circumstances surrounding the
case, the ages of the convicts, the mitigating factor of the 4th convict (Marie
Sanneh) who is the sole care giver to her four kids and a 70-year-old father,
and having listened to the touching plea for leniency moved by the respective
defence counsels, Judge Nkea said, these are “strong reasons for him to temper
justice with mercy.”
Although various sections of the law impose a maximum imprisonment
of 10 years for various offences committed, I found it fit and proper to
sentence the convicts accordingly, he added.
He sentenced Ibrahim Bun Sanneh (1st convict) to two-years
imprisonment on count eleven, two-years on count 19, two-years on count five,
five-years on count 16, five-years on count 17, five-years on count 18, and
five-years on count two.
He also sentenced Karamo Bojang ( 2nd convict) to eight-years
imprisonment on
count two, eight-years on count four, eight-years on count six, eight-years on
count nine, eight-years on count 12, eight-years on 25 and eight-years on count
16.
Ousman
Bojang (3rd convict) was handed a prison term of eight-years on
count six and eight-years on count 22.
The 4th
convict, Marie Sanneh, was sentenced to a fine of D100,000 on each of the three
count she was found guilty; count three, count 21 and 28, in default to serve
five years imprisonment on each counts.
Seedou
Bojang, the 5th convict was also sentenced to two-years on count 29
and 30, five-years on counts 16, 17, 18, and 19.
Justice
Emmanuel Nkea, presiding, said all sentences should run simultaneously. The prosecution has called 17
witnesses to prove their case in the two-year trial. Wednesday’s sentencing
attracted hundreds of members of the public, including family members and
relatives of the convicts.
Briton murder trial moved to
special criminal court
Principal
Magistrate Sheriff B. Tabally, presiding, on 16th May, 2012 referred
the trial of three Nigerians accused of killing Ian Stake, a British, to the Special Criminal Division of the High Court
in Banjul.
Micheal
Ifuna Churubiken, Ogbaeye Ugochukwu and Collin Chijioke were charged with conspiracy,
kidnapping, murder and robbery with violence when they appeared at the Kanifing
District Magistyrates’ Court on Wednesday.
The 1st
accused person, Micheal Ifuna Churubiken has already pleaded not guilty to all
four charges, but his co-accused, Ogbaeye Ugochukwu and Collin Chijioke choose
not to take their plea because they are not represented by a defence counsel.
Particulars
of offence on count one stated that Micheal Ifuna Churubiken, Ogbaeye Ugochukwu
and Collin Chijioke on or about 13th May 2012 at Bakoteh Junction in
Kanifing Municipality in the Republic of the Gambia, jointly conspired among
themselves to commit felony and murdering Ian Stakes a British national thereby
committed an offence.
Count
two states that Micheal Ifuna Churubiken, Ogbaeye Ugochukwu and Collin Chijioke
on or about 13th May 2012 at Bakoteh Junction in Kanifing
Municipality in the Republic of the Gambia, jointly kidnapped or wrongfully
confined Ian Stakes in his house with intent to cause danger to him.
Ccount
three indicated that Micheal Ifuna Churubiken, Ogbaeye Ugochukwu and Collin
Chijioke on or about 13th May 2012 at Bakoteh Junction in Kanifing
Municipality in the Republic of the Gambia, they murder or caused the death of
Ian Stakes by stabbing him all over his body, thereby committed an offence.
And count
four Micheal Ifuna Churubiken, Ogbaeye Ugochukwu and Collin Chijioke on or
about 13th May 2012 at Bakoteh Junction in Kanifing Municipality in
the Republic of the Gambia, that they jointly robbed Ian Stakes of his mobile
phone, mark and value unknown and immediately before taking the said mobile
phone, they used violent action by stabbing him all over his body with knife,
thereby committed an offence.
Camara urges court
to strike out ‘suspected homo trial’
The
counsel for a group of young Gambians accused of indecent sexual behavior and
belonging to a sexual minority, on Tuesday urged the Kanifing District
Magistrates’ Court to throw-out the trial if the state cannot come up with
accurate evidence to prove their case.
When
the case was called on May 22, 2012, 1718 Kinteh, who is co-prosecuting the
accused with 3560 Colley, applied for an adjournment, but Counsel Camara
objected to his application on grounds that the case file was with the Anthony
General Chambers for legal advice.
Contradictorily,
Kinteh said when the AG Chambers was contacted; the office said they have
return the case file back to the Police. However, he said: “As I am talking to
the Court, we did not have access to the case file, so I hereby apply for an
adjournment to have access to the file, and familiarise ourselves with the
case.”
The
prosecution’s stance compelled the counsel of 12 of the 20 accused persons,
lawyer Lamin S. Camara to urge the court to throw out the case, hence the State
cannot come up with accurate evidence against his clients.
“I am
speechless”, Camara told a full court gallery, arguing that there is no level
grounded base for an adjournment. It is incumbent upon the State to come up
with clear issues to grant the accused young men and women their fate, he
added.
Camara
admits that it is the right of the prosecution to apply for an adjournment, but
bemoan the fact that this is the second time the case is being adjourned
following applications by the prosecution.
“Justice
delayed is justice denied”, he further argues. “It is a fundamental human and
constitutional right of every citizen of this country to be given a free, fair,
and moreover, a speedy trial,” he said. “It is the fundamental human right of
the accused persons to know their fate and for their families to be free of fear
and suspense.”
18
young men and 2 young women are standing trial on two charges of “attempt to
commit unnatural offence” and “Conspiracy”. They are Alieu Sarr, Kebba Ceesay,
Abdoulie Bojang, Amadou Jallow, Ogika Amenechi, Amidou Nyang, Ousman Gomez,
Sainey Fatty, Lamin Konateh, Lamin Sarr, Buba Banda, Ebrima Jallow, Lamin Saho,
Abdoulie Cham, Lamin Jaiteh, Ousman Dibba, Abdoulie Saidy, Muhammad Manneh,
Foity Jobe and Awa Touray. They have since taken a not-guilty plea and were
granted bail at the beginning of the trial.
Gambian
police pressed charges to the accused persons last month following their
arrest, they first appeared in court on April 23, 2012. On Tuesday, Magistrate
Sheriff B. Tabally, presiding, adjourned the case till June 14, 2012.
Source: The Voice Newspaper
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