The Daily Observer (Banjul)
Fatou Sowe
2 June 2011
Four prison officers were on Wednesday arraigned at the Banjul Magistrates Court presided over by Acting Principal Magistrate Taiwo Ade Alagbe.
Abdoulie Bojang, Solo Manga, Buba Badjie and Bakary Jammeh are charged with criminal offence, contrary to the Laws of The Gambia. On count one, the first accused, Abdoulie Bojang is charged with destroying evidence contrary to Section 101 of the Criminal Code, Cap 10 Volume III, Laws of The Gambia 2009. The particulars of the offence stated that the first accused sometime in 2011 at the State Central Prison Mile II in Banjul, knowing that a Samsung mobile phone and a sim card recovered from Mile II State Central Prison may be required in evidence in a judicial proceeding, willfully removed the sim card from the said phone with intent to prevent it from being used in evidence. He pleaded not guilty.
On count two, Abdoulie Bojang was charged with introduction or removal of prohibited articles into and from prison and for unauthorised communication with prisoners, contrary to Section 84 (1) of the Prisons Act. The particulars of the offence revealed that the first accused, sometime in 2011 at the State Central Prison, Mile II, introduced into the said prison prohibited articles to wit; he gave a Nokia mobile telephone to Batch Samba Faye, a prisoner, to use and thereby committed an offence. He pleaded not guilty on count two.
On count three, the first accused was charged with introduction or removal of prohibited articles into and from prison and for unauthorised communication with prisoners, contrary to the Prisons Act. According to the particulars of the offence, the first accused, sometime in 2011 at the State Central Prison, Mile II in Banjul, introduced a prohibited article into the said prison to wit, he gave a mobile telephone to Lang Tombong Tamba, a prisoner, to use, and thereby committed an offence. He pleaded not guilty to this charge as well.
On count four, the second accused, Solo Manga was charged with introduction or removal of prohibited articles into and from prison and unauthorised communication with prisoners, contrary to Section 84 (1) of the Prisons Act. The particulars of the offence stated that Solo Manga, sometime in 2011 at the State Central Prison, Mile II, introduced into the said prison prohibited articles to wit; Qcell mobile phone, Nokia E51 mobile phone and Samsung mobile phone, and thereby committed an offence. He pleaded not guilty to the charge on count four.
On count five, the third accused was charged with introduction or removal of prohibited articles into and from prison and for unauthorised communication with prisoners, contrary to Section 85 (1) of the Prisons Act. The particulars of the offence further disclosed that the third accused, Buba Badjie sometime in 2011 at State Central Prison, Mile II in Banjul introduced a prohibited article into the said prison to wit; he gave a mobile phone to Abu Jah, prisoner, to use and thereby committed an offence. He (Buba Badjie) pleaded not guilty to the charge on count five.
The fourth accused is charged with official corruption, contrary to Section 86 (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 10, Volume III of the Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009. The particulars stated that the fourth accused, Bakary Jammeh, sometime in 2009 in Banjul and other places in The Gambia, being employed as prison officer in The Gambia Prisons Services, corruptly received D100 from Ousman Ndow on account of showing favour to Alieu Bah, a prisoner under his care, and thereby committed an offence. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The fifth accused, Saikou Kujabi was charged with aiding and conspiracy, but was not in court. The director of Public Prosecution (DPP) M. Abdullahi, assured the court that the fifth accused will be present in court on the next adjourned date. The DPP further applied for an adjournment and urged the court to remand the accused persons before they interfere with the witnesses, as the accused persons are prison officers.
At that juncture the case was adjourned to 8th June 2011 for hearing, and the presiding magistrate ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody.
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Continued here:
Four Prison Officers Charged, Remanded