After presenting three witnesses, lawyer for Mr Bah, Lamin Mboge made a no-case submission asking for the court to acquit and discharge him as the prosecution had failed to establish necessary ingredients of the offence as required by the law. But his application was dismissed by the court and Mr Bah was asked to enter his defence.
Njoku Bah is being tried on a single charge of abuse of office. Prosecutors alleged that as the head of the civil service, he appointed Ms Jainaba Jobarteh as The Gambia’s representative to the United Nations in New York without due procedures which tantamount to abuse of office. Mr Bah denied any culpability.
He was supposed to enter his defence since last week but his attorney, Lamin Mboge, asked the court to grant him more time to prepare his defence.
He said Mr Bah was remanded in prison and as such they found it difficult to meet and discuss issues regarding how to prepare their defence. When the case was called up last week, lawyer Mboge applied for the matter to be stood down to enable him to “have a few words” with his client before he mounted the witness box. That prompted the state prosecutor to suggest for an adjournment so as to enable Mr Bah prepare his defence. The request was granted by the presiding magistrate, Dawda Jallow and the case was adjourned to today for defence.
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