By Nicholas Bass
Aisha Kujabi was dragged to court by one Fatkinneh Ceesay a.k.aFatou Mbenga for defamation of the character before Principal Magistrate Muhammed Krubally of Banjul Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
When Aisha Kujabi was called to the dock for plea-taking after the case was called her lawyer Segga Gaye said that his client was not served with the charge sheet and summon, noting that it is a constitutional requirement for his client to be served with the charge sheet before the commencement of the hearing.
Lawyer Ibrahim Jallow for the complainant opposed his application, stating that the defense lawyer’s application has no merit and lacks legal grounds. He argued that an accused in a criminal court proceeding is served with the charge sheet in an open court, ‘therein he or she takes his or her plea’.
Principal magistrate Muhammed Krubally at this juncture, overruled Jallow’s application and ordered him to serve the accused with the charge sheet. The matter was adjourned for plea-taking.
The charge filed against Aisha Kujabi revealed that on or about August 2023 in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia she published an audio recording of defamatory matters with the intent to defame Fatkinneh Ceesay a.k.a Fatou Mbenga. The accused was also alleged to have intent to intimidate or annoy threatened to injure and assault Fatkinneh Ceesay.