Police prosecutors have slammed one count of economic crime against Lamin Fatajo and Muhammed Lamin Mass for causing over D1 million losses to the economy of The Gambia.
The two men are accused of issuing salary advances, unauthorised travel allowances, awarding contracts that do not follow the GPPA regulation amounting to D965,905 and D707,327 causing detrimental loss to the economy of The Gambia. However, the case was transferred to the high court as the magistrates court lacked the jurisdiction to try them, according to ASP Badjie.
However, the prosecution’s request for the two men to be remanded was denied by Magistrate Lamin Mbaye who released them on bail in the sum of D5 million each or provision of a Gambian with a valid identity card.
“The fact that the accused persons were already on bail pending their appearance in court and that the accused persons have been reporting to the police during the entire investigations, I do not think the accused persons are a flight risk so that they have to be remanded in custody,” Magistrate Mbaye said. He also ordered that they provide a compound title deed each and surrender all their travelling documents.
They were released on bail after one of their lawyers, Borry Touray told the court that the prosecution have not given any reason why they should be remanded pending their appearance at the high court. “The accused persons are senior civil servants who have people to guarantee their appearance in court. They have been detained for more than 72 hours since their arrest over the weekend. They were earlier arrested and granted bail. Their continuous detention will cause harm to their families,” Touray said.
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