The jailed former Secretary General has got an axe to grind with some radio stations in the country. Dr. Njogou Bah blamed the stations for “wrongly broadcasting” newspaper contents in the local languages.
Mr. Bah’s scathing attack was made through his lawyer Lamin Mboge. He appeared before Principal Magistrate Dawda Jallow of Banjul Magistrates’ Court last week.
“My client has lodged a complaint to me that the way some radio stations interpret the court proceedings is totally far from what has transpired in court,” Lawyer Mboge complained. He asked the court “to send a serious warning to those radios that are reporting court proceedings in the local languages wrongly without attending the proceedings.”
But the presiding magistrate would not grant Lawyer Mboge’s request on the premise that the radios in questions source their information outside the court. As such it would be difficult for the court to address such broadcasters.
“I don’t want to act on something which is not within my power,” Magistrate Jallow said. “If it were among the newspapers that cover the proceedings, then it would be easier to address the issue, but this is a third party.”
Dr. Njogou Bah continued his testimony in court. Under-cross examination, he denied calling permanent secretary at the office of the president instructing him on the posting of one Jainaba Jobarteh to the New York mission.
“I knew of her appointment at the latter part, when the file was sent to my office from Foreign Affairs, and I have never made a single call to Yusupha Dibba regarding the appointment of Jainaba Jobarteh,” he said.
Bah admitted being aware of the vacancy at the permanent mission in New York but it was not his responsibility to appoint anybody. He said that role belongs to the Foreign Affairs and the Office of the President.
The former Presidential Affairs Minister is being tried on a single charge of abuse of office. He is accused him of using his influence as the Secretary General and Head of Civil Service to post Ms Jainaba Jobarteh as The Gambia’s Representative to the United Nations without due procedures. Bah denied any wrongdoing.
Bah returns to the dock on March 12, 2015.
Ends
Njogou Bah needs to understand that displacement of blame or simply blaming others for your creation is not going help. He should realize that his prayers for Jammeh to live 950 years and continue to rule Gambia was not a sensible one. Today Mr Bah wish Jammeh disappear from the face of The Earth. This is why one has to be careful what you wish for. Njogou was invincible and never thought of respecting and fighting for the interest of Gambian people but was busy satisfying his boss. He can continue to Blame radios or even journalists but his myopic view of government and lack of understanding of royalty to the country, is what befall him.
Well said Maxs.