WOMAN CHARGED, REMANDED FOR USING ABUSIVE WORDS TO PRESIDENT

Magistrate AR Bah of the Brikama Magistrates’ Court last Friday ordered for Fatou Badjie, a woman from Jabang village to be remanded at the Mile 2 Central Prison following a prohibition of conduct conducive to breach of peace charge leveled against her by Police prosecutors.

Prosecutors accused Fatou Badjie of using abusive or insulting words to Gambia’s president and one Awa Jadama with intent to provoke a breach of peace on 19th February, 2017. She pleaded not guilty.

Sergeant 2202 Fadera, the police prosecuting officer applied for adjournment of the matter and objected to the granting of bail to Fatou, saying the matter is still under investigation. He said if Fatou is granted bail, she may tamper with the investigation or even abscond the jurisdiction.

Prosecutor Fadera also told the court that because a second suspect is still at large, Fatou may equally take the same decision if she is granted bail. He urged the court to use its discretion and refuse her bail.

Fatou had however told the court that she is a single parent of many children but Magistrate Bah denied her bail and granted the prosecutor’s application. She also gave the prosecution the opportunity to complete their investigation and bring the second suspect if possible.

The magistrate further said her denial to grant bail to Fatou is not a judgment, saying such application can be brought or done Suo Moto (on its own motion) by the court to grant bail. “The accused is still presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction per Section 24 (3) of the 1997 Constitution.”

The matter is adjourned to 2nd March for hearing of the first prosecution witness’s evidence