By Landing Ceesay
Justice Haddy Roche of the High Court of the Gambia has acquitted and discharged Saihou Drammeh, 1st accused and Lamin Gassama, 2nd accused on all charges against them.
The High Court Judge said the prosecution which is the state failed to establish prima faci evidence to indicate the accused persons indeed committed the alleged crimes against them.
Saihou Drammeh and Lamin Gassama were the Managing Director and Operations Manager at Gam Petroleum Company Limited Depot in Lamin, Mandinary in the West Coast Region.
The 2 staff namely Saihou Drammeh (1st accused), former Managing Director and Lamin Gassama (2nd accused), former Operations Manager of the institution are charged with 8 counts (3 counts of economic crimes and 5 other counts) in the alleged corruption scandal.
The eight counts are levelled against the two in their maiden court appearance at the High Court in Banjul on 4th April 2022 presided over by Justice Haddy Roche.
Their appearance in court followed their arrest regarding their alleged involvement in the alleged corruption, malpractices and the missing of fuel products worth USD 20 million at the depot.
The Judge’s full ruling would be published in our subsequent publications.