By Bakary Ceesay
Yankuba Touray, a former AFPRC member has pleaded not guilty to the charged of ‘interfering with informants or witnesses’ contrary to Section 36(a) of Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission Act, 2017 before Principal Magistrates, Isatou Janneh Njie of the Kanifing Magistrate’s Court on Monday 4th March, 2019.
Magistrate Janneh granted him bail in the sum of one million Dalasi with two Gambian as sureties. He shouldn’t interfere in the TRRC proceedings in the future and shouldn’t travel outside the country.
She said that the sureties must depose to affidavits of means with title deed of land property within the Greater Banjul Area. They should deposit their Identity card to the Court Registrar
Earlier on, when the case was called Yankuba Touray, pleaded not guilty to the charges, which prompted his defense attorney Abdul Aziz Sissoko to apply for his client to be on bail in order to prepare himself for fair trial and protection of law in line with Section 24 of the Constitution, he submit that the offence charged is a bailable offence.
In response to the Counsel submission, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Almameh James Manga argued that the offence despite bailable offence is a serious offence. He submits that he would respect the Court decision in the event it wants to grant bail.
In his ruling, the presiding magistrate after listening to both parties granted the accused person bail in the sum of one million with two Gambians as sureties, he shouldn’t interfere in the TRRC proceeding in the future and shouldn’t travel outside the country.
She said the sureties must depose to affidavits of means with title deed of land property within the Greater Banjul Area. They should deposit their Identity card to the Court Registrar and the accused person must also swear to an affidavit of means not to interfere with the case or witnesses to the TRRC.
If Yankuba Touray is found guilty, the conviction is not less than one million or in default will serve 3year imprisonment.
Case continues on11th March, 2019 for hearing at 10:00 am.
Charged Sheets reads….The particular of offence stated that the accused person on or about 5th January, 2019 at Kanifing and diverse place within the jurisdiction of the Court with intent to obstruct or interfere with the work of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) called Alhagie Kanyi as a potential witness of TRRC through his Africell number and told him that he should not mind the Commission as they cannot do anything which Act suggest or amount to interfering with the work of the Commission in the discharged of it function thereby committed an offence.