The authorities have preferred charges against two former senior civil servants at the Department of State for Foreign Affairs, Bai Ousman Secka and Muhammed Batata S. Juwara.

The two senior civil servants were yesterday arraigned before Magistrate Mboto of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court charged with six counts of conspiracy to commit felony, making false documents, uttering false document, and abuse of office.

In Count 1, the offence revealed that Bai Ousman Secka and Muhammed Batata S. Juwura some time in 2007, while employed in the Civil Service of The Government of The Gambia at the Department of State for Foreign Affairs in Banjul and other places in The Gambia, conspired together to commit a felony to wit, procuring visa with false information and thereby committed an offence.

In Count II, the particulars of the offence are that Bai Ousman Secka and Muhammed Batata S. Juwara on or about the 23rd day of August 2007 at the Department of State for Foreign Affairs in the city of Banjul, in the Republic of The Gambia, with intent to deceive, made a Note Verbale addressed to the American Embassy for the issuing of an American visa to Ms Isatou Njie on the grounds that she is scheduled to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York scheduled for September 2007 which information they knew to be false and thereby committed an offence.

In Count III, the particulars of the offence indicate that the two accused persons on or about the 23rd day of August 2007 at the Department of State for Foreign Affairs in the City of Banjul, in the Republic of The Gambia, with intent to deceive, made a note verbale addressed to the American Embassy for the issue of an America visa to Ebou Manneh on the grounds that he has been officially posted to the Gambia High Commission in New York which information they knew to be false and thereby committed an offence.

In Count IV, which relates only to Muhammed Batata S. Juwara, the particulars state that while employed in the civil service of The Government of The Gambia at the Department of State for Foreign Affairs in Banjul, Republic of The Gambia, some time in 2007 with intent to deceive, knowingly presented a false note verbale dated 23rd August 2007 to the American Embassy knowing the same to be false and thereby committed an offence.

In Count V, the particulars state that the accused persons some time in the year 2007, while employed in the civil service of the Government of the Gambia  at The Department of State for Foreign Affairs in Banjul, Republic of the Gambia, procured an American visa for Ms Isatou Njie in abuse of their office and thereby committed an offence.

In Count VI, the particulars of the offence state that the accused persons some time in the year 2007, while employed in the Civil Service of The Gambia in The Department of State for Foreign Affairs procured an American visa for Ebou Manneh in abuse of their office and thereby committed an offence.

The accused persons have since vehemently denied the charges before being granted court bail in sum of D500, 000 with a Gambian as a responsible surety.

Case adjourned to the 18th March 2008.