Posted by By Dawda Faye
According to court sources, Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay, former speaker of the National Assembly, was on 8 March, 2019, arraigned at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Mendy charged with interfering with information or witnesses, contrary to Section 36(a) of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission Act, Laws of The Gambia 2017. She denied any wrongdoing.
It was alleged that within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court of the Republic of The Gambia, with intent to obstruct or interfere with the work of the TRRC, the accused called Alagie Kanyi, a potential TRRC witness, through her mobile phone and told him that he should not mind the commission, which act suggests or amounts to interfering with the work of the commission in the discharge of its functions.
Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay was represented by Lawyer Lamin S. Camara, who applied for the accused to be granted bail.
The presiding magistrate, as a result, granted bail to the accused in the sum of D1,000,000 with two Gambian sureties who should have landed properties within the Greater Banjul Area. The title deeds should be surrendered to the registrar. They should also swear to an affidavit of means and surrender their ID cards to the registrar of the court.
The sureties must make sure that the accused is available whenever she is needed by the court, and that the accused should not interfere with the witnesses.
Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay is expected to reappear in court on 14 March, 2019, for the prosecution to call their witnesses.