Saihou Ceesay, Bucarr Sowe, Musa Jarju, Masaneh Manka and Ansu Sanyang were, on the 13th of March, arraigned before Principal Magistrate Buba Jawo of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court for jointly and falsely making a document claiming to be relatives of Ndure Cham the ex-Chief of Defence Staff in pursuance of seeking asylum.

According to the particulars of the case, the accused, at Serekunda and diverse places in the Republic of The Gambia, between December 2007 and February 2008, jointly and falsely made a document claiming to be relatives of Ndure Cham, ex-Chief of Defence Staff, in pursuance of seeking asylum in the Ukraine knowing that the same document was false.

They pleaded not guilty.

The Prosecutor, ASP Bojang, applied to the court to adjourn the case to enable the prosecution to bring necessary witnesses. He objected to bail being granted in the case as it has a wider range of investigations.

He went on to say that the case file has been sent to the Attorney General’s Chambers for legal advice and that if the accused are granted bail they would tamper with the investigation, which would lead them out of The Gambia.

Magistrate Jawo did not grant the application made by the prosecutor for the court not to grant the accused bail.

He stated that if the prosecution is investigating other issues, those issues were not before the court and they do not form the subject matter of the case.

He finally granted the accused bail in the sum of D50,000 with two Gambian sureties.

He adjourned the case to the 31st of March.