The chief state prosecutor, SH Barkhum, told presiding judge, Mikailu Abdulahi, of the High court in Banjul, although the former minister was entitled to bail, he had not provided enough proof to grant him a temporal release from custody.
He added: “We are not disputing that the offence is bailable but the accused was the secretary general and head of civil service at the time the offence was committed. This is not an ordinary economic crime case because it is not committed by an ordinary person. The offence touches on the economic well-being of the nation.
“I have not seen any solid convincing paragraph by the applicant that should warrant the court to exercise its discretion [and grant him bail]. What we should look at is the gravity of the offence.”
However, the lawyer for Mambury, Lamin Camara, who filed the bail application Monday in his response, urged the court to disregard the prosecutor’s statement that “the case is not an ordinary economic crime offence”.
Njie, an erstwhile longstanding member of the cabinet is standing trial on two counts of economic crime and neglect of duty. Details of the indictment against him revealed that he caused The Gambia government economic losses when he failed to appropriately advise government on matters pertaining to mining operations of Carnegie Minerals Gambia Limited between 2001 and 2006. He however pleaded not guilty. The case is adjourned to May 28 for ruling on bail.
By Binta Bah
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