By Amadou Jadama
Seedy Njie, the deputy spokesman of the governing National Peoples Party, has yesterday told a court that the publication in The Voice newspaper about Barrow choosing a successor had caused confusion within the party. “The story created mistrust, pandemonium and confusion up to the state,” he added.
Njie was testifying as the first witness for the prosecution in the false publication trial of The Voice journalists at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court presided over by Magistrate Mben Faal.
The journalists, Musa Sheriff and Momodou Justice Darboe, are standing trial on a single count charge of false publication and broadcasting.
In his testimony, Seedy SK Njie said his role in the NPP is to disseminate information for and on behalf of the party, while his boss, Lamin Queen Jammeh, is responsible for giving information for NPP.
“Any information from any other person about the party other than the two of us, is false,” the witness told the court.
He said on 22 September at about 5PM, Musa Sheriff called him to say that he had some hot news from two top executive members of the NPP who informed him that President Adama Barrow has chosen Muhammed Jah as his successor.
“I insisted he tell me the names of those top executives of the NPP and that speculation on the social media regarding that matter is false. I also told Mr Sheriff that the president has just said that he will run for election in 2026. I vehemently refused to grant an interview”, Seedy Njie said.
The witness further said he told the accused that if he publishes that news, it will be false publication and can cause injuries to the president and the rest of them in the NPP.
The witness said Musa Sherriff then told him that he will get back to him, adding, he again told Mr Sheriff he has not granted him an interview.
“The following day, I saw a shocking headline on the front page of the newspaper titled Barrow Chooses Muhammed Jah as successor. My phone on that day was filled with disappointing messages regarding the said publication and there was confusion within the NPP,” Njie alleged.
At this juncture, the lead prosecutor Commissioner A Sanneh applied to tender a copy of The Voice dated 23 September 2024 which was granted by the court and marked as ID 1.
The prosecutor further quizzed the witness if he knows one Binta Jaiteh whose name was on the said story as the author. Seedy Njie replied in the negative.
He went on: “My reaction was one of disappointment and I wondered how people can dramatise fictitious and false publication. There was never a discussion within the NPP concerning President Adama Barrow’s successor. The story created mistrust, pandemonium and confusion up to the state.”
Seedy Njie continued to state that he called Mr Sheriff and told him about the said publication bearing the name Binta Jaiteh.
“Mr Sheriff apologized to me on the phone and promised to run a rejoinder as a stop press which I rejected as not enough or ethical and demanded a full apology,” Njie said.
The witness further told the court that Mr Sheriff told him that if he does that, his credibility and that of the newspaper will be questioned and since then, the accused has never apologised to him as promised.
The matter is adjourned to 10 December for cross-examination of Seedy Njie.
