Three Get 20 Years, One Acquitted

Justice Avril Anin-Yeboah of the High Court yesterday convicted and sentenced Tamsir Jasseh, Alieu Jobe and Omar Faal (Keita) to 20 years each in each of the counts with hard labour. On the other hand the court acquitted and discharged the 8th accused person, Demba Dem, in both the counts preferred against him.

In delivering her judgement in a packed courtroom, which lasted for almost four hours, Justice Anin-Yeboah recollected that the accused persons were charged with treason, conspiracy to commit treason and providing accessory after treason. She intimated that when the accused persons were arraigned in court they denied the charges preferred against them when it was read to them.

The presiding judge explained that it became the duty of the prosecution to prove the offence against the accused persons, adding that in pursuance of that duty the prosecution called 12 witnesses, in addition to tendering exhibits to corroborate the testimonies. She said after the prosecution closed its case, the defense elected to address the court and proceeded to do as much.

Justice Anin-Yeboah asserted that after reviewing the evidence of both the prosecution and the defense, the court found that the prosecution had proven their case against the 5th accused, Tamsir Jasseh, the 6th accused, Alieu Jobe and the 7th accused, Omar Faal (Keita) in all the charges preferred against them. However she said that the prosecution had failed to prove their case against the 8th accused person, Demba Dem.

Yesterday’s judgement comes in the wake of an earlier episode of the aftermath of the foiled coup, ten army officers were on 19th April 2007 convicted and jailed by a Court Martial for their involvement in the foiled coup. They are Capt. Bunja Darboe, Capt. Yaya Darboe, Capt. Wassa Camara, and 2nd Lt. Pharing Sanyang who were sentenced to life imprisonment; Capt. Abdou Karim Jah, Lt. Momodou Alieu Bah and Corporal Samba Bah who were sentenced to 25 years jail term; Lance Corporal Babou Janha, Capt. Pierre Mendy and Private Alhagie Nying, sentenced to 10 years.

In a related development recently, Vincent Jatta, former Chief of Defence Staff, Ngorr Secka, former acting deputy Director-General of NIA, Baba Saho, former Director of External Security of NIA, Ebrima Camara, former OC of Brikama Police and Sgt Buba Mendy, all of whom were arrested and detained for their alleged involvement in the same attempted coup, were released by presidential amnesty last month.

It would appear that the first major event in the aftermath of the 21st March coup was when on 3rd April 2006, the Gambia government reported the alleged escape of five security officers involved in the foiled coup, following the somersaulting of the vehicle in which they were being transported to Janjanbureh prison. They include Daba Marena, former Director-General of NIA, Lt. Ebrima Low, 2nd Lt Alieu Ceesay, W02 Alpha Bah and Staff Sergeant Malafie Corr.

Meanwhile Abdoulie Kujabi, former Director-General of NIA, Foday Barry, former Director of Internal Security and Musa Dibba, former Director of Finance of NIA, are still being detained in connection with the 21st March 2006 foiled coup.

Meanwhile, the suspected ring leader and former Chief of Defence Staff, Col. Ndure Cham, is still said to be at large, suspected to be hiding in Senegal.