Remanded fire officers released

Six officers of the Brikama fire and ambulance services who were remanded in custody this month in connection with the alleged killing of Ebrima Barry have been release on bail.

The six officers, Momodou Colley, Amadou Badjie, Ousman Myolleh, Kebba Conteh, Alhajie E. Secka and Samba Sawo were on April 6, 2000 released on bail in the sum of fifty thousand Dalasis with two Gambian sureties and a landed property each. This was about four days before the April 10 student demonstrations that left at least a dozen people dead and much public and private property destroyed.

The six officers were charged with murder following the death of Ebrima Barry, a student of Foster's secondary school, Brikama. Ebrima was allegedly beaten to death by officers of the Brikama Fire Service.

The officers charged were first arraigned before the Banjul magistrate's court on March 30. They had since pleaded not guilty to the charge but were ordered to be remanded until such a time that they were granted bail by the high court.

During the first week of this month, lawyer Momodou Lamin Jobarteh on behalf of the six officers, filed a bail application at the high court. In his ruling on the bail application, Justice Wallace Grant, after considering the court proceeding, decided to grant them bail noting that murder was a bailable offence. The officers were released after fulfilling the bail requirements.