Gambia: Lang and co appeal case progresses as additional grounds of appeal filed
By Own Correspondent – The criminal appeal case filed by the jailed ex-Chief of Defence Staff Lang Tombong Tamba and six others continued yesterday at the Gambia Court of Appeal before the three-Member Panel Judges headed by the president of the court, Justice Joseph Wowo.
During yesterday’s hearing of the appeal, counsel for the appellants, Sheriff M. Tambedou, informed the court that the appellants had filed a motion of notice and additional grounds of appeal before the court.
All the appellants were sentenced to death by the Banjul High Court, presided over by Justice Emmanuel Amadi, in July 2010, after being found guilty for plotting to overthrow the democratically elected government of The Gambia. A decision they are dissatisfied with and have appealed against at the Gambia Court of Appeal.
“Our motion was filed on behalf of the appellants with additional grounds of Appeal; this followed a directive from the court for the process to be filed,” Tambedou added.
Tambedou, together with R. Thomasi, then urged the three-member judges to grant the additional grounds of appeal.
M.B Agiah, state law officer from the Attorney General’s Chambers who told the court that he was holding brief for his superior, DSL Daniel O. Kulo, adduced that the state respondent had received the motion yesterday in court, but was quick to add that the state was not raising any objection to the additional grounds of appeal filed by the appellants.
The President of the Court, Justice Wowo, granted the said application and ordered counsel to reply on point of law upon the receipt of state respondent’s briefs.
The case was then adjourned until 25 February 2011.
Yusuf Ezideen, Alias Rambo, Fails to Appear Again
Meanwhile, the appeal filed by Yusuf Ezideen, alias Rambo, a Lebanese-Gambian, also continued yesterday at the Gambia Court of Appeal without the appearance of Rambo, now on four consecutive sittings, despite his appeal being heard. The reason earlier given to the court was that the appellant’s failure to appear in court was for security reason.
Hawa Sisay Sabally, counsel for the appellant, yesterday told the Gambia Court of Appeal that the records of proceedings from the High Court were still not ready, adducing that they would soon be ready.
M.B. Agiah, the state counsel respondent, urged the court to grant them long adjournment to enable them to have access to the records of proceedings from the High Court.
The case was subsequently adjourned till 25February 2011.
