Two witnesses have so far testified for the state – an anti-fraud officer and a former director of geological department. But defence lawyer Camara is unconvinced that any of them had produced incriminating evidence to link his client to the allegations of economic crime he is charged with. As a result, the lawyer told the judge presiding over the matter that he will make a ‘no-case-to-answer’ submission.
It followed the announcement by the deputy director of special litigation, Simon Abi that the state had closed its case as they were satisfied with the evidences produced against the accused.
However, state prosecutor Abi said the defence could not make a submission of ‘no-case-to-answer’ under the offence he is charged with. “A ‘no-case-to-answer’ [submission] cannot be made in the charge brought under the Economic Crime Act,” he said when Camara told the court that the defence intended to make a submission for his client to be freed by the court.
This argument prompted the judge to adjourn the case to June 23 for both parties to address the court on the matter.
Mr Njie is at the centre of a high profile economic crime case before the high court in Banjul. He is standing trial on two counts of committing an economic crime and neglect of duty. He is accused of recklessly causing the Gambia government economic losses by failing to advise government on matters pertaining to the mining operations of Carnegie Minerals Gambia Limited between 2001 and 2006 while he was the secretary general and head of the civil service. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
By Binta Bah
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