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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Dec 2013 : 21:15:52
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1. Daily Observer Deputy Editor-in-Chief denies charges against him
Foroyaa Burning Issues News: Thursday, December 05, 2013
Mr. Alagie Jobe, Deputy-In-Chief of the Observer newspaper, has yesterday, Wednesday 4 December, denied all the allegations preferred against him by the prosecution. In his evidence-in-chief before Justice Emmanuel Nkea of the Criminal Division of the Banjul High Court, Jobe said, “I want to deny the entire charges levelled against me. I will never do anything with seditious intention. I have served the Daily Observer for 13 years. I am one of the longest serving editors in the company. I have ever been loyal to the President of the republic, government and Daily Observer as a company.”
Deputy Editor Jobe] told the court that the panel of investigators at the National Intelligence Agency [NIA] had refused to accept his statement that the former Managing Director of Daily Observer, Pa Malick Faye, was the right person to be questioned about the said article.
He said he told them that the person whose name appeared on the article was still in town working with the Daily Observer. He adduced that the said reporter has ran away with the former Managing Director out of the country on the same day.
“I was tortured all night in a dark room where some of them would light cigarette and off it on my body. The same routine continues the next day,” said Alagie Jobe, Deputy Editor in Chief of the Daily Observer.
Mr. Jobe further testified that the Officer Commanding O/C was shocked when he saw the nature of the wounds inflicted on him and ordered for him to be taken to hospital. He said he was escorted by two officers to the Military hospital along Marina Parade, but was later referred to the RVTH for X-ray.
Deputy Editor Jobe told the court that when he returned from hospital at NIA, he found a panel waiting for him. He said he was instructed to copy what they have written down in their notepad as his statement. He said he told them that the notes were not his statement.
“During the first and second night of my detention at the NIA, some people came, that I am sure, have interest in this case but I don’t know them. I know this because they asked questions that were so confidential about the Daily Observer,” he told the court.
Mr. Jobe told the court that one of these people told him that he was the one who has caused his former boss (Pa Malick Faye) to abscond. He said he answered in the negative. He said he told the person that he was not the one who appointed him (Mr. Faye) and referred him to the proprietor of the company.
At this juncture, he was shown Exhibit C which he said was a laptop belonging to the Observer Company. He said it was meant for official work.
“This laptop was the brain behind the Daily Observer. It contains edited and unedited stories and photos for the publication of the paper,” Deputy Editor Jobe said.
Jobe told the court that the said laptop was confiscated by Mr. Kebba Secka, an official of the NIA and another officer from the NDEA. He alleged that the two officers went to the Observer Company during investigation and found the laptop on his desk.
He said he was using the laptop for official work. At this juncture, he was told to switch on the laptop which he did. The trial judge ordered him to switch off the laptop as he would later look at it.
Ebrima Jah, counsel for Editor Jobe showed the concerned article to his client which he said was posted by the former Managing Director (Pa Malick Faye). Mr. Jobe said it was his policy to edit stories with the reporters, but said this particular story was never published by the paper because it was cancelled.
At this juncture, the defense made an application to tender the copy of the Daily Observer published on a date claimed by prosecution. There was no objection from the state prosecutor. Subsequently, the copy of the Daily Observer was admitted and marked as an exhibit.
Deputy Editor Jobe argued that all the articles from the former Managing Director were in the archive of the paper. He stressed that he has no ill-intentions as alleged by prosecution against him. He said if that was his intention, they would not have seen it after two months.
The Observer Editor refuted the allegation on false information to the NIA about the staff of Daily Observer namely, Assan Sallah, Mariama Danso and Madikan Jobarteh. He condemned the allegations saying it was a mere fabrication.
“I never confessed to anyone about the issue of Assan Sallah, Mariama Danso and Madikan Jobarteh,” he pointed out.
Deputy Editor Jobe further refuted the allegation that he was driving rash and negligently during his arrest but said it was the other way round.
He alleged that the security officers were the very ones who were driving rashly and negligently by knocking his vehicle which he said was confirmed by one of the prosecution witnesses. He said he has not done anything wrong.
“I wish to say that am still a staff of the Observer Company, if these allegations were something true as alleged by prosecution witnesses the company will not spare me until today. They would have served me with a sacking letter,” he added.
However, Deputy Editor Jobe said he has never made any seditious publication. He said the author of the story knows where he got his facts.
He said he wanted to make it clear that he never told any panel member or investigator that he was the author of the article. He further refuted the allegation of speaking to anyone outside or meeting anyone as alleged by prosecution witnesses.
Meanwhile, the state prosecutor applied for a short adjournment to cross examine the first accused as the evidence was long and she needed time to prepare herself.
Subsequently, the case was adjourned till Thursday, 12th December 2013, for cross examination.
SOURCE: Foroyaa
2. Related topic: Pa Malick Faye Sacked as Observer MD
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Edited by - kobo on 07 Dec 2013 00:49:38 |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 07 Dec 2013 : 01:34:03
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Alhagie Jobe ends defence testimony
Thursday, December 05, 2013
The deputy editor-in-chief of the Daily Observer Company, who is facing criminal charges before the Special Criminal Court yesterday ended his testimony before Justice Emmanuel Nkea in Banjul.
Alhagie Jobe has been arraigned on a five-count charge of making an act with seditious intention, seditious publication, and possession of seditious publication, giving false information to a public servant, recklessness and negligence; while Mbye Bittaye was arraigned on a single count of making preparation to do an act with seditious intention. But both of the accused persons had vehemently denied all the charges against them.
Hearing continues on December 12, 2013 for cross-examination.
SOURCE: Daily Observer News & Full Report |
Edited by - kobo on 07 Dec 2013 01:35:12 |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2014 : 07:21:30
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ANOTHER TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE N ONGOING ALHAJI JOBE'S CASE.
UPDATE:
My conscience was clear when I called Assan Sallah -Mbye Bittaye tells SCC
Friday, April 11, 2014
Mbye Bittaye, the second accused person in the criminal trial involving the state against Alhagie Jobe, the deputy editor-in-chief of the Daily Observer newspaper, Thursday told the Special Criminal Court in Banjul, presided over by Justice Emmanuel Amadi, that his conscience was clear when he called Assan Sallah for enquiries.
He made this statement while testifying in his defense, after he was called upon to give evidence by his defense lawyer S Gaye, as the witness for the first accused person was unavailable and the lawyers were yet to decided whether to supine the witness or not.
While giving evidence under examination-in-chief, Mbye Bittaye who testified as the second defense witness (DW2) told the SCC that he is a resident of Brusubi currently unemployed, and that he never knew the first accused prior to this case, nor did he know Assan Sallah the former news-editor of the Daily Observer newspaper.
He informed the court that the allegation against him before the court is false and not true, because he did not prepare anything or do any seditious act, explaining that one of his friends by the name Samba Njie in the United Kingdom called him and asked him to make enquiries for him, if the newspapers do write stories to help people seeking documents abroad.........
Source: Daily Observer News & full report |
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