Yusupha Jammeh, Abdoulie Bah and Momodou Jallow were arraigned in July 2013 and not a single witness has been called to testify in their case since. The trio who are on bail are charged with three counts of carrying on business as foreign exchange dealers without licence.
Jammeh is accused of exchanging the sum of CFA30,000, Jallow for exchanging CFA10,000 and Bah for exchanging CFA2,000 without licence in Barra, North Bank Region. They have pleaded not guilty.
The judge’s warning came after Yusupha Jammeh’s lawyer, ML Marong, urged the judge to withdraw the case and set free his client and his co-accused. “I want my client to go home as a free man. He is a family man and has children. If the state is unable to prosecute my client and his co-accused, it is better to close the case,” he said.
Jammeh, 57 is a farmer who had not committed any crime, his lawyer said. “They have not committed murder. They have been brought to court for dealing with their own money and not the state’s…”
In reply, the judge stated: “I think the counsel is right. He is also right that the delay in prosecution is denial of justice. If the prosecutor doesn’t proceed on the next date, I will strike out the case and discharge the accused persons.” The case will resume July 18
By Binta Bah
]]>
