The embattled journalist, Fatou Jaw Manneh, was yesterday granted bail at the Kanifing Magistrates Court presided over by Principal Magistrate Buba Jawo. She however had to fulfil a bail bond of D25, 000.00 plus a Gambian surety.

Fatou has reportedly been in detention at the headquarters of the National Intelligence Agency since her arrest last week Wednesday at the Banjul International Airport on arrival from the United States. She was on Tuesday charged on three counts but she pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The statement of offence ranged from acting with seditious intention to publication of seditious words and publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public.

In his ruling following Defence Counsel Lamin Jobarteh’s application for his client to be granted bail, Magistrate Jawo granted the application but ordered the accused to surrender her travel documents to the state. The case is now expected to resume on 11th April, 2007.