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Momodou
Denmark
11840 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Feb 2008 : 17:42:05
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Journalist Mam Sait Faces Fresh Charges
A fifty to two hundred and fifty thousand dalasi fine and in default, one year imprisonment is in prospect for Mam Sait Ceesay, former Press Officer at the office of the President, if found guilty of a fresh charge with false publication contrary to the Criminal Code of the Laws of The Gambia.
Mam Sait Ceesay was invited to the Serious Crime Unit of the Gambia Police Force on Friday, February 22, to enter his plea to a two count charge and was detained for four hours before he was released on bail. In September 2007, Mam Sait Ceesay and Malick Jones were jointly charged under the Official Secrets Acts. It was alleged that the two “gave information to a foreign journalist, which was harmful to the security of the state”.
Both accused persons pleaded not guilty and were remanded in custody for a week before they were released on bail. On September 26, 2007, defence Counsel Antouman Gaye applied under Section 11 of the Official Secrets Act “for the accused persons to be discharged.”
Magistrate B.Y Camara of the Banjul Magistrates Court, in his ruling, held that the prosecution could not be mounted without the consent of the Attorney General first being granted. He therefore ‘stayed’ the action until the consent of the Attorney General was obtained and accordingly ordered the accused persons to step down.
Six months later, on February 22, 2007, Mam Sait Ceesay was singly charged with two counts of False Publication. Mr. Ceesay is yet to appear before a Magistrate.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issues
Issue No. 23/2008, 25 – 26, 2008
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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