By Landing Ceesay
Saihou Drammeh, former Managing Director and Lamin Gassama, former Operations Manager at the Gambia Petroleum Storage Facility Depot standing trial in the scandal have fulfilled the condition of their US $10, 000, 000 bail bond on Thursday.
“They have fulfilled their bail bond that’s why they are released from the police custody. So I can confirm to you that yesterday, they submitted all what the court asked them to bring,” a registrar told this reporter today.
Saihou and Lamin are accused of corruption, malpractices, cover-ups, and the missing of $20 million at the Gambia Petroleum Storage Facility Depot in Lamin Mandinary.
Following the allegations, the duo were arrested and charged with 8 counts including charges of economic crime.
They made their maiden court appearance on Wednesday since their arrest in November 2021; but pleaded not guilty to the 8 counts, 3 of which are economic crime charges.
In their maiden appearance in Court, the lawyer for the accused persons B. S. Conteh filed an application for the Court to grant his clients (1st and 2nd accused) bail, pending determination of their case.
The High Court Judge, Justice Haddy C. Roche, granted a US $10, 000, 000-bail bond for them.
The Judge said the charges against the accused persons are indeed serious; but are bailable offences, yet to be proved.
She said the accused persons have the right to be presumed innocent, until proven guilty.
Upon hearing the counsel and a careful study of the bail application, the charges against the accused persons, and the attached witness statements, Justice Roche ordered that each of the accused persons be admitted to a bail bond upon providing security in the sum of US US $10, 000, 000 with two Gambian sureties each in like sum of US $10, 000, 000.
She further ordered each of the accused persons and sureties must deposit with the court, the original title deeds to their property confirmed to be valued in like sum of US $10, 000, 000.
Justice Roche said any property provided as security by the accused persons and their sureties must be confirmed to be free from encumbrance.
She added that each of the accused persons must surrender his passport and any other travel documents to the court.
On 5th April 2022, Justice Haddy C. Roche made the ruling on the bail application filed by the lawyers of the accused persons, pending determination of the case.
The hearing would continue on 16th May 2022.