Sanyang, Camara bail hearing

The Banjul High Court will today, deliver ruling that will decide whether Manlafi Sanyang, head of Vehicles Logistics Unit at State House and Lt Bakary Camara, a senior presidential bodyguard, are fit to be granted bail.

This development follows after Lawyer Lamin Camara, counsel for the two accused persons, filed an application at high court, seeking for a court bail.

The two men are standing trial on three counts of criminal offences such as conspiracy, contrary to Section 63 of the Criminal Code; theft, contrary to Section 252 of the Criminal Code; and economic crime, contrary to Decree No. 16 of the Economic Crime Act.

Counsel Camara, who appeared at the high court presided over by Na Ceesay Sallah-Wadda, backed up his application with reference to Section 19 of the Constitution, Section 99 of the Criminal Code, and Section 8 of the Economic Crime Decree No. 16.

According to him, Section 19 (5) of the 1997 Constitution also confers jurisdiction on the court to grant bail. “I urged the court to grant them bail he poised.”

He added that the application is seeking for the applicants to be released on court bail, pending the outcome of the charges preferred against them. “The application is supported by a sworn affidavit,” he told the court.

He informed the court that the applicants are languishing in custody at the State Central Prison at Mile II.

The state counsel, MA Jobe, submitted that Section 8 (1) paragraph (a) and (b) of the Economic Crime Decree No. 16 provides that no bail shall be granted to the applicant guilty of such offence.

However, counsel Camara countered that the court is not bound by the said section, which quoted by the state counsel. He then pointed to Section 5 of the Economic Crime Decree, which according to him, stipulates specific conditions for a court bail.

At that juncture, the presiding judge adjourned the case to today Thursday, February 14 to rule on the submissions.