By Bruce Asemota
Three suspected drug traffickers were granted bail by the High Court of The Gambia presided over by Justice Ebrima Ba Jaiteh.
The suspects, Ismaila Darboe, Babucarr Joof and Morr Njie were each granted bail in the sum of one million dalasis each with one Gambian surety each who must depose to an affidavit of means for the amount.
Justice Jaiteh also ordered that each of the sureties must be an owner of a titled landed property in the sum of a mllion dalasis.
Justice Jaiteh disclosed that Ismaila Darboe and Morr Njie were remanded by the Brikama Magistrates Court on 5th February while Babucarr Joof was remanded on 6th December 2019 charged with possession of prohibited drugs for the purpose of drug trafficking.
Justice Jaiteh pointed out that the state law office conceded that the offences alleged are bailable while taking into cognisance of Section 24(3) (a) of the 1997 Constitution which presumes the innocence of an accused person until proven guilty.
Justice Jaiteh disclosed that the law considers the nature of the charge, the severity of the punishment, the quality of the evidence available, likelihood of the accused person jumping bail or interfering with the witnesses, the criminal record of the accused person if any and the likelihood of a repetition of the offence if granted bail.
He pointed out that the court’s discretion in granting or refusing bail must at all time be exercised with due regard to the facts and circumstances of each cas
