Sabally released on bail

By Baba Sillah After spending two months in detention the former director of the state TV, Momodou Sabally was finally released on bail yesterday by the vacation judge at the High Court in Banjul. Sabally who is being tried on charges of economic crime, abuse of office and negligence of official duties however pleaded not guilty to all the eight counts and was granted bail in the sum of one million dalasi with two Gambian sureties by Justice Aminata Saho –Ceesay who inherited the case from her predecessor, Justice O Dada as the vacation judge after the state raised no objection to the bail. Mr Sabally was once the secretary general, head of civil service and minister of Presidential Affairs where he was sacked and dragged to court before he was pardoned and appointed as the managing director of Daily Observer and the director general of Gambia Radio and Television Services [GRTS] last year. He was arrested on November 8 last year and since then he was in detention at the NIA until yesterday, when he was finally granted bail. He is accused of causing D402, 500 by unduly influencing the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation to fund a program titled “Youth Career Development Program” organized by one Mariama Sillah. He is also alleged to have received D38, 424, 00 being money for his per diem for his trip to South Africa for the inauguration ceremony of President Jacob Zuma which he neglected and failed to attend. Prosecutor said these acts allegedly committed by Mr Sabally tantamount to economic crime, negligence of official duty and abuse of office. Investigators added that the incident occurred sometime in May 2014 in the city of Banjul within the jurisdiction of the honorable court. Hearing resumes February 2.]]>