A personnel of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, (name withheld) by the court, last Friday continues his testimony on the sedition charges against Fatou Jaw Manneh, a Gambian born journalist based in the United State. Ms Manneh was arrested by state security agents upon arrival at the Banjul International Airport some weeks ago and later charged with sedition.

Appearing before Magistrate Buba Jawo of the Kanifing Magistrate Court ,the NIA officer told the court that after the death of Koro Ceesay, a one time Minister of Finance in the then AFPRC, a panel was set up to investigate the actual cause of the Minister’s death and the finding has shown that it was caused by an accident.

He said that an Article extracted from an online newspaper, owned by a Gambian in the United States entitled “Dame of the Flamming Pen”, was given to him by his superiors and the accused is a frequent subscriber to the online newspaper.

He added that Exhibit B, dated October, 23, 2005, tendered to the court contains the first week publication of the online newspaper as he is a regular browser of the internet.

He told the court that the article was published several times, prompting his Agency to call an in-house discussion over the issue as they are very much concerned over the contents of the article.

He further told the court that he has been living in the country since 1994, and is not aware of any act of betrayal of the Gambian people by instilling terror amongst others. “I felt bad when I read the article as the allegations level against the Presdient is not true,” he told the court.

According to him, if there is anything that would force Gambian to like President Jammeh, it is because he is development-oriented as since 1994 to date, many positive developments have taken place in The Gambia, thus moving the country forward.

During cross-examination by Lawyer Lamin Jobarteh, counsel for the accused, the NIA personnel told the court that he attended Pakalinding School in the Lower River Region and later proceeded to Armitage School in Janjabureh in the Central River Region, before moving to Tahir High School, where he completed his high school education in 1995. According to him, he was appointed in the NIA in 2003 and since then he has not travelled beyond Basse.

Quizzed by Lawyer Jobarteh whether he had ever travelled to Ahmadali area, he answered in the positive.

At that Juncture, Lawyer Jorbateh told him “I am putting it to you that you are not telling the truth.

But, the NIA officer insisted that he is speaking the truth.

The case continues.