Lawyer Malick H.B Jallow, Private Prosecutor for the complainant Samsudeen Phatey, a Gambian journalist and human rights activist based in the USA, has on 2nd August 2022 filed a new charge sheet to separate the charges of the accused persons in the case of Samsudeen Phatey vs his ex-wife Neneh J. Thompson and four others, at the Children’s Court in Brikama.
All the accused persons have been charged with unauthorized publication of proceedings at the Children’s Court contrary to Section 73(1) and is punishable under Section 73 (2) of the Children’s Act 2005.
The main reason for separating the charges is that according to law, when accused persons are charged, they all have to be present before the case can proceed and in this case, two of the five accused persons are present and three are at large. This is why the Private Prosecutor decided to separate the charges into two. One against Fatou Touray and Fatoumata Drammeh (Tima Laa Watoo) and the other one against the other three; Neneh J. Thompson (Nahima Jawneh), Fatoumata Rahman Coker (CEO of Elite Media), and Fatou Jarai Susso (Mprez Jah).
The 1st accused Neneh J. Thompson, 2nd accused Fatoumata Rahman Coker, and 3rd accused Fatou Jarai Susso are now jointly charged and their charges are separated from the other two accused persons, Fatou Touray, 5th accused, and Fatoumata Drammeh, 4th accused.
The reason for this amendment is because three of the accused persons, Neneh J. Thompson, 1st accused, Fatoumata Rahman Coker, 2nd accused and Fatou Jarai Suso, 3rd accused are at large and yet to be apprehended.
Neneh J. Thompson (1st accused), Fatoumata Rahman Coker (2nd accused), and Fatou Jarai Susso(3rd accused), are charged with unauthorized publication of proceedings at the Children’s Court contrary to Section 73(1) and is punishable under Section 73 (2) of the Children’s Act 2005.
Neneh J. Thompson is also faced with an additional charge of unlawful child removal contrary to Section 156 of the Children’s Act 2005.
Meanwhile, Fatou Touray and Fatoumata Drammeh’s case is proceeding before Magistrate Peter Che, as the first prosecution witness, Mariama Cham began testimony on Tuesday, 30th August 2022. She is expected to be cross-examined on the next adjourned date.
