By Nicholas Bass
The thirty-four natives of Bakua who were charged on the 5th December 2022 and arranged for trial before Principal Magistrate Omar Jabang, the principal Magistrates’ of Kanifing, were yesterday granted bail of D250,000 each with two Gambian sureties.
These 34 accused persons of Bakau were charged with the offence of conspiracy to commit a felony contrary to section 368 of the Criminal Code, preventing or obstructing by making a proclamation contrary to section 75 of the Criminal Code, and rioting among a host of criminal charges
The accused persons namely Dodou Kasa Jatta , Amadou Faye , Modou J. Jallow , Amadou Jallow , Mahammed Jallow , Salihena Conteh , Sory Camara , Lamin Samura , Pa Lamin Janneh ,Alieu Sainey Sanyang ,Pa Modou Jatta ,Lamin Saho , Lamin Jammeh ,Muhammed Faal , Lamin Saho , Momodou Gassama , Alpha Camara , Lamin Sillah , Mass Susso , Omar Camara , Modou Salieu Jallow ,Baba Sarr ,Ousman Ceesay ,Ebrima Daffeh , Ebrima Mboob ,Alieu Jallow , Mam Ngorr Ceesay , Muhammed Davies , Pa Ali Jammeh and Adala Ndow on the the 1st of December 2022 at Bakau in the Kanifing municipality conspired amongst themselves to commit felony with rioting ,thereby committed an offence.
Principal magistrate Omar Jabang during the ruling of the plea of the bail of counsel Kaddijatou Jallow, the lead counsel for the accused persons stated that all the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the above charges while Commissioner Abdoulie Sanneh representing the IGP objected to their bail on the grounds that investigation into the matter is still ongoing and by granting them bail, the accused person abscond.
However, the presiding Magistrate Jabang in his ruling stated that section 99 of the Criminal Procedure Code gave the court the discretionary power to grant bail in all offences except an offence that attracts life imprisonment.
He went on to say that the argument of the accused persons absconding, there is no compelling fact before this court to suggest that the accused persons will leave the jurisdiction of the court once granted bail.
Magistrate O Jabang further noted that the accused persons have put forward compelling reasons to tilt the balance around this area in their favor, noting that they disclosed to the court that they have families, businesses and everything in Bakau and they all said that they will not abscond when granted bail.
“I am minded to grant each of the accused persons a bail of D250,000 with two Gambian sureties in the like sum and each of their sureties are to swear to an affidavit of the means in the above sum with a deposit of their national identity cards. He ordered the accused persons to enter into self-recognizance to keep the peace pending the hearing and determination of this case and failure for them to abide by shall lead to revocation of the bail”, he ruled.
Meanwhile, the 1st accused Dodou Kasa Jatta on Tuesday took his plea on the seven counts and he pleaded not guilty to all the counts filed by the police prosecutor before the court.
However, at the beginning of the proceeding commission Abdoulie Sanneh, the lead prosecutor, pleaded to the court for the amendment of the charge sheet for the inclusion of the name of the first accused which was objected to by the Counsel Kaddijatou Jallow, the lead counsel of the accused persons. But the presiding magistrate Omar Jabang granted his plea before adjourning the case to December 23rd.
