Case against Casamance Citizens Resumes

The eight Casamance citizens currently undergoing trial at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court believed yesterday re-appeared before the court.

However the case could not proceed before Magistrate B.Y. Camara and had to be adjourned to today for confirmation.

The eight Casamance suspects are currently standing trial in the Gambia for the alleged offences ranging from conspiracy to commit felony to spying.

It could be recalled that the accused persons, Sidat Jarju, alias Abelemben, Ebrima Viex Colley, alias Abuja, Nuha Jammeh, alias Assambane, Lamin Tewn Sambou, Ansumana Jarju, Tamsir Badjie, Joseph Jatta and Tamsir Badjie, Joseph Jatta and Abdou Salam Jammeh, have since been arrested and detained by the Gambian authorities.

The accused first appeared in court on 1st October 2007. The offences preferred against them are as follow:

The first count, conspiracy to commit felony, stated that while in various places in The Gambia between 2004 and 2006 the accused persons colluded to carry out acts of terrorism against a neighbouring state, Senegal, in a manner prejudicial to the public security and national defence of The Gambia and thereby committed an offence.

The statement of offence in count two indicate that the eight accused persons between 2004 and 2006 in diverse places in The Gambia took photographs or documents of a confidential nature concerning security installations in The Gambia which may be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy and thereby committed an offence.

Count three alleged that the accused persons received stolen properties and the offence revealed that the eight accused persons between 2004 and 2006 received military equipment from Sam Kambai knowing or having reason to believe that it was feloniously obtained and thereby committed an offence.

The final count, count four, charged the accused with unlawful possession of Gambian National Identity card, and the offence stated that the eight accused persons between 2004 and 2006, while not being Gambian citizens, falsely acquired Gambian National Identity cards and thereby committed an offence.