By Amadou Jadama
Musa Sheriff, the managing editor of The Voice and his deputy editor-in chief Momodou Justice Darboe were yesterday arraigned before the Kanifing magistrates’ court presided over by Magistrate Mben Faal on a single count charges of false publication and broadcasting.
When the statement of offence and the particulars of offence were read to the duo, they both pleaded not guilty.
According to the bill of indictment Musa Sheriff and Momodou Justice Darboe on September 23 this year, at Kanifing and diverse places, without any lawful excuse or authority, willfully published a news titled “President Barrow Chooses Muhammed Jah as Successor and Presidential Candidate for the 2026 election, knowingly or having no reason to believe that the said publication or news was true and knowing it to be false at the time.
Soon after the charges were read, police prosecutor Malamin Jarju applied for an adjournment to enable them to call their witnesses. He further told the court that they are not opposing granting bail to the accused persons.
Responding to the prosecution’s application, Lawyer Lamin J Darboe counsel for the journalists, said, since the prosecution’s did not oppose bail for the accused persons, he would formally apply for one under section 99 of the CPC.
He further submitted that the bail condition should be reasonable and the two are not flight risk because they are responsible Gambians and would not interfere with witnesses.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Faal, granted them bail in the sum of D100,000 each with one Gambian surety who must deposit his or her ID card or passport to the registrar of the court pending the final determination of the case.
The matter was adjourned to 31 October for the full hearing of the case.
