By: Nicholas Bass
The Banjul High Court, presided over by Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, has adjourned the plea-taking of Abdoulie Sanyang, a former military officer, to a later date.
Abdoulie Sanyang was arrested on Sunday, 17th August 2025, at the Banjul International Airport. His arrest followed controversial remarks he made during the 14th August 2025 edition of Coffee Time with Peter Gomez on West Coast Radio, which was broadcast live on air and online.
During proceedings held yesterday, the court was expected to have Abdoulie Sanyang enter his plea. However, Justice Jaiteh discovered that the accused had not yet been formally served with the bill of indictment. As a result, the judge ordered the Director of Public Prosecution, A.M. Yusuf, to serve the indictment to defense lawyer Lamin J. Darboe before the next hearing date.
According to the charge sheet, Count One alleges that Abdoulie Sanyang, in 2016 at Kanifing South, willfully and unlawfully took part in planning and setting fire to the premises of the National Bureau of the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC).
Count Two accuses Abdoulie Sanyang of making statements intended to show disrespect to judicial proceedings. The charge relates to comments he made during the Coffee Time radio show, where he reportedly referred to the court handling the Ousainou Bojang case as a “clandestine court,” remarks considered contemptuous and calculated to undermine the authority of the judiciary.