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Momodou
Denmark
11832 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Aug 2007 : 16:44:24
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3 JAILED FOR TREASON ONE ACQUITED
By Fabakary B. Ceesaay and Bubacarr K. Sowe
Alieu Jobe, Tamsir Jasseh and Omar Faal Keita, who were civilians accused of taking part in the 21 March 2006 attempted coup d'etat, were yesterday sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment each with hard labour by Justice Avril Anin Yeboah of the Banjul High Court. Demba Dem, a former Member of Parliament was freed by the court. Tamsir Jasseh, a former Director General of Immigration and Deputy Inspector General of Police, Alieu Jobe, the former Accountant General and Marabout Omar Faal Keita were all convicted and sentenced to 20 years on each of the counts, but the sentences will run concurrently.
Honourable Demba Dem, the former National Assembly Member for Niani constituency under the ruling APRC party, was discharged and acquitted on two counts. According to Justice Yeboah, there was no doubt that the prosecution has proved their case beyond reasonable doubt against the three accused persons on the three counts. She said that twelve (12) witnesses were called by the prosecution and that they have tendered exhibits before the court. The exhibits include statements of the accused, video tape, tape recorder and a cassette and the statement that was to be read by the jailed Army Spokespersons, Captain Bunja Darboe, if the coup should succeed. In the case of Demba Dem, Justice Yeboah added that the prosecution has failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt on the two count charges preferred against him. According to the judge, Tamsir Jasseh, Alieu Jobe and Marabout Omar Faal Keita were found guilty on count one, (treason), on count two (conspiracy) and on count three (accessory to the fact of treason). She later sentenced them to 20 years on counts two and two years on count three which are to run concurrently. As for Demba Dem, she ruled that she did not found him guilty on treason and conspiracy. She acquitted and discharged him on those counts.
The defence counsels, Lamin S. Camara, Borry S. Touray and Lamin S. Jobarteh urged the court to temper justice with mercy on them. They appealed that the convicted persons were responsible men in the society and were holding key important positions in the country. They added that they were the sole bread winners of their families. They said human beings are bound to make mistakes, and finally asked the court to exercise leniency on the convicted persons. As the verdict was being read, the relatives and sympathisers of the convicts started to shed tears. The family members and sympathisers of the convicts wailed and stumbled after the verdict was read by the judge. Some threw themselves on the ground and sobbed as the convicts were whisked away by armed police and military officers. However, Honourable Demba Dem, who was acquitted and discharged, was also whisked away along with the convicts to mile two prison, even though his counsel complained to court that as far as Demba was freed by the court, he should be allowed to step down from the dock. The trial judge insisted that counsels cannot tell her what to do about her case.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 93/2007, 10 - 12 August 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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