Gambian Diplomat Appears in Court

After 3 Months in Detention

Fabakary B. Ceesay, Foroyaa Newspaper 

Mr. Lamin Sanyang, alias ‘Sabi’, the financial Attaché to the Gambia Embassy in USA, who has been in detention since early January, was on Monday, 16 March, arraigned before Principal Magistrate Edrissa F. Mbai of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court.

The charge against Mr. Sanyang is “fund received by agents for sale”, contrary to Section 248 and punishable under Section 252 of the Criminal Code, laws of The Gambia. The particulars of offence states that the accused person, sometime in March 2008, at Banjul and in diverse places in the Gambia, had allegedly received the sum of USD 26, 761 from The Gambia Government for the purchased of 5 pieces of Rock Master VTX 620 (13HP) drill machines and which he failed to deliver, thereby committing an offence.
Mr. Sanyang pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Police prosecutor, ASP Yaya Touray, applied for bail denial and an adjournment to a fortnight to enable him to call witnesses. ASP Touray adduced to the court that investigations are still ongoing and are yet to be completed. He argued that if the accused person is granted bail he would interfere with their investigation.
Mr. Sanyang, who was without a legal representation in court, did not make any bail application. However, Magistrate Mbai, in his ruling on the prosecution’s submission, pointed that the prosecution has not put forward any reasons to the court, which shows that if the accused is granted bail he would interfere with their investigation.
The Magistrate said the offence is bailable and that the court will grant bail to the accused on the condition that he provides two Gambian sureties, who must provide the court with two leasehold properties within the Greater Banjul Area; that such properties should value one million dalasi (D1, 000,000) each and that the accused should deposit his travelling documents to the court and to be reporting to the officer in charge (OC), Banjul Police Station, every Friday, between the hours of 9 am to 12 noon. The case was adjourned to 30th March.

Culled from FOROYAA: www.foroyaa.gm