Ceesay is also National Assembly member for Lower Saloum.
The police have now indicted them on 17 criminal counts bordering on economic crime, abuse of office, negligence of official duty, theft, among other related charges.
Appearing before the Banjul Magistrates Court yesterday, prosecutors alleged that Hon Ceesay between November 2010 and December 2012 by virtue of his position as coordinator of NEDI stole 63,750 dalasis from NEDI being the sales of loan forms and loan repayment.
The bill of indictment further alleged that Messrs Ceesay and Njie stole 116, 500 dalasis and 1, 250 dalasis being monies paid to them for official spending which could not be accounted for.
The duo were also alleged to have procured goods amounting to 2,100,000 dalasis from Farouk Trading without following the GPPA regulations in procurement of goods.
Investigators further charged that Hon Ceesay being the coordinator of NEDI fraudulently diverted an amount of 11,400 dalasis being a loan repayment to NEDI by one Besenty Gomez.
It is also revealed that Hon Ceesay between 2009 and 2012 deliberately disbursed loans amounted to 2,400,000 dalasis to several vendors across the country without approving their loan forms.
Hon Ceesay is also accused of disbursing loans amounting to 325,670 dalasis to Oases Fishing Association and Saloum Saloum Youth Association respectively without a Memorandum of Understanding.
The charge sheet further stated that HonCeesay sometime in 2010 caused a loss of 305,000 dalasis to the government of The Gambia by issuing loan to one Modou Kebbeh, proprietor of Goor-Goorlu Restaurant without proper security or guarantee in place.
Assistant Superintendent Alpha Badjie who appeared for the Inspector General of Police consequently applied for the transfer of the case to high court as has been sanctioned by Section 62 of the Criminal Procedure Code and Section 9 of Economic Crime Specified Offences Act.
He also applied for the name of Biggi Jallow, a third suspect who is at large, to be struck out from the charge sheet, which was upheld by the trial magistrate.
Meanwhile, the attorney for the defendants, Lamin Camara, did not raise any objection to the transfer of the matter. Lawyer Camara, however, argued that the court also has the power to try non-economic crime offences and power to grand bail to his clients.
He urged the court to exercise its discretion given by the law to grant bail to his clients.
Responding to counsel application, the police prosecutor urged the court not to grand bail to the accused simply because the investigation is still ongoing and by granting bail to the accused, the accused may tamper with their witnesses.
He also asked the court to consider the amount of money involved before granting bail to the accused persons whom he said may abscond if granted bail.
Prosecutor Badjie appealed to the court to remand the accused in custody pending their appearance at high court.
Replying, Lawyer Camara described the points raised by the prosecutor as “baseless and mere speculation” and prayed that the court grant bail to his clients whom he said are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the court.
The accused have both pleaded not guilty to all counts. However, they were placed under police custody pending ruling on their bail application today.
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