Justice Kumba Sillah Camara of the Banjul High Court has pushed the case of the former NIA officers after their lawyers made an objection to the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.
The criminal trial involving the nine officers was scheduled for plea taking but failed to proceed after the defense lawyers objected to the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case. The twelve fresh charges filed by prosecutors includes conspiracy, murder, assaults, forgery and making documents without authority. They could not take their plea due to the submissions made by their lawyers.
The officers standing trial include the former NIA Director General Yankuba Badjie, Deputy Director General Louis Gomez and Director of Operations Sheikh Omar Jeng along with Babucarr Sallah, Yusupha Jammeh, Tamba Massireh, Haruna Susso, Lamin Darboe and Lamin Lang Sanyang.
When the case was called this afternoon the defense team representing the nine accused persons drew the attention of the court to a motion filed objecting to the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case. The state lawyers have requested time to look into the summons to respond accordingly. The request was granted by the court.
The lawyer of the 9th accused person, Lamin Lang Sanyang, also applied bail for his client which was adjourned for ruling on Tuesday, 11 April 2017.
There was high security at the court premises with rifles and riot gears. The courtroom was full to capacity with family members, supporters and sympathisers of the dead opposition activist and also the accused persons. The accused persons were handcuffed and escorted to the waiting prison bus that whisked them away to the Mile II Central Prisons.
Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned to Monday, April 10, for ruling on the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.
