Ebrima Jawara’s charge dropped

By Omar Bah & Samsideen Ceesay The Standard Newspaper has reliably been informed that the single charge of abuse of office levied against Ebrima Jawara, former permanent secretary at the Office of the President, and son of former President Sir Dawda Jawara, has been dropped by the Gambia Police Force yesterday. Mr Jawara was arrested on 21 December 2015, charged with abuse of office and detained overnight at the Banjul Police Headquarters. He was released on police bail on 22 December 2015. Mr Jawara is alleged to have abused his office, by recommending a police officer to be a member of a committee that was set up under the office of the president, tasked with monitoring and coordinating the affairs of the ministry of agriculture projects, without consulting the Inspector General of Police. The case couldn’t proceed since; however Mr Jawara was on police bail until yesterday when the charge was dropped totally. Currently he is being tried at the high court in Banjul on nineteen counts including abuse of office and economic crime. He is also facing another charge of punishment for malicious injuries at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court. Mr Jawara was the coordinator of the Central Projects Coordinating Unit overseeing donor-funded projects under the Ministry of Agriculture and also permanent secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture.]]>