Monday, June 22 –
The group were
granted bail by Magistrate Sainabou Wadda of the KanifingMagistrate’s Court to the tune of D200, 000 (US$8,000) each with two Gambian sureties and two landed properties. Sittings were adjourned to July 7 for the accused persons to take their plea.
Hundreds of Gambians, including journalists and family members of the accused journalistswere asked out of the court premises. The Court house was heavily guarded by military personnel, armed in riot gear.The UK High Commissioner, the US Ambassador to The Gambia and other high profiledGambians were present in Court.
Augustine Kanjia, columnist at The Point was also arrested and detained for three days for apparentlytaking photos of the crowds and armed paramilitary officers from the Police Intervention Unit who hadcordoned off the Courts and closed roads leading to the Court. He was held at the Serrekunda PoliceStation.
Friday, July 3 –
The seven journalists, in what can be best described as a trial within a trial weresummoned (July 1) to appear before Justice Joseph Wowo of
the
Banjul High Court, charged with theinitial charges of sedition and three other counts of defamation.Justice Wowo revoked their initial bail conditions, and sent them back to Mile Two State Central Prisons.Hours later Sarata Jabbi-Dibba was released with a bail bond of Dalasis 400,000 (US$16,000) twoGambian sureties and two landed properties in the Greater Banjul Area.
Monday, July 6 –
The other six journalists get similar bail conditions of each Dalasis 400,000(US$16,000) two Gambian sureties and two landed properties in the Greater Banjul Area.
Wednesday, July 8
-
Lawyers for six of the journalists object to two ‘defective’ and ‘invalid’charges
as they are not offences known to the laws of The Gambia. Representing himself, Sam Sarr of Foroyaa associated himself with the arguments of the defence team and also made reference to and further drew the court’s attention to Section 53 (2) of the Criminal Code Amendment Act of 2005 which he said,was not in conformity with the charges preferred against them.Sittings were adjourned to Friday, July 10
th
for a prosecution response.Amongst observers in the crowded court room, US Ambassador Barry Wells, a representative of the UK High Commissioner and a trial observer, a lawyer from the International Bar Association and leader of theopposition United Democratic Party.
Friday, July 10 -
Despite open defence objections, the trial of the seven journalists proceeds “In Camera”as prosecution declares state security interests.
Tuesday, July 21
- Defence team asks Justice Wowo to step down from the case citing open bias. All
Gambia Press Union, No. 5 Garba Jahumpa Road, Bakau Newtown, P.O. Box 1440,Banjul The Gambiaemail: gpu@qanet.gm URL:www.gambiapressunion.orgTel:(220) 9851762
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