Justice Simon Ateh Abi dismissed as ‘incompetent’ the bail application submitted yesterday by the defence lawyer, Mr Sheriff Tambadou.
“I certainly take issue with the counsel making a single joint application in respect of all the accused persons,” he said.
“I will rule the joint application for bail on behalf of all the accused as incompetent and is accordingly dismissed. I will, however, order that all the accused who are interested in obtaining bail from this court shall file within 24 hours of this order. Any accused that does not have a pending application for bail before the court at that date and time will be remanded in prison custody.”
The six Gambians Hamidou Savage, Abdou Camara, Ousman Sowe, Mansa Bah, Sheikh Dawda York, Kemo Fatty and two Guineans, Alpha Kante and Oumie Saffiatou Diallo, were arraigned on three counts of conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretence and economic crime in January at the Banjul High Court.
They are accused of conspiring among themselves to deceive Mr Abdoulie Bittaye and his partner by collecting D7, 465, 000 on the pretext that they were going to sell 50 kilos of gold which they knew was false.
They are also accused of intentionally causing economic loss to The Gambia government by declaring only D41, 475, 000 to the Gambia Revenue Authority, instead of D59, 250, 000, causing economic loss of D1, 777, 500.
The accused denied the charges.
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