By: Isatou Sarr
The State has withdrawn all conspiracy charges against former military officer Sanna Manjang, narrowing its case to four counts involving alleged violent offences.
The development follows a ruling by Justice Sidi K. Jobarteh, who directed the prosecution to provide particulars of unnamed co-conspirators cited in the initial indictment.
State prosecutors, led by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions E.R. Dougan, subsequently opted to discontinue the conspiracy charges instead of furnishing the requested details.
Defence counsel Sheriff K. Jobe had earlier challenged the charges, arguing that references to Manjang acting “with others” as part of a group known as the “Junglers” were vague and prejudicial to the preparation of the defence.
Justice Jobarteh upheld the objection, ruling that the lack of specificity undermined the accused’s right to adequately respond to the allegations.
Following the amendment, the indictment now contains two counts of murder and two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm.
According to the prosecution, Manjang is accused of unlawfully causing the death of Kajali Jammeh, also known as “Le Cock”, in 2006 at Kanilai, West Coast Region, by cutting his neck with a knife.
He is further alleged to have fatally stabbed Samba Wurry in the chest in a separate incident in the same year and location.
In addition, the State alleges that Manjang assaulted Tamsir Jasseh in March 2006 at the National Intelligence Agency premises, causing actual bodily harm.
The fourth count accuses him of assaulting military officer Yaya M.S. Darboe in March 2006, including beating him with sticks, applying melted plastic to his body, and subjecting him to inhumane treatment.
The case is expected to proceed with the taking of the accused’s plea on the revised charges, which now form the basis of the prosecution’s case.
