In Pristine Consulting trial, state opts for out of court settlement

Friday, June 03, 2011

The criminal trial involving Pristine Consulting Company and it senior officials has taken a new twist following an announcement at the Special Criminal Court yesterday that the state wants to settle the matter out of court.

Deputy Director of Special Litigation Simeon Abi yesterday told the court presided over by Justice Joseph Enwa Ikpala that "the state wants to settle the matter out of court" and, as a result, applied for an adjournment.

Pristine Company was contracted by the Gambia Government for the production of biometric identity cards. The company, its Chief Executive Officer, Abdourahman Touray, and its Chief Technology Officer, Assan Touray, were charged with economic crimes, conspiracy and theft.

Defence counsel, Ida Drammeh did not raise any objection to the state’s application for an adjournment.

 Justice Ikpala in adjourning the case stated that based on the consent of both parties for the case to be settled out of court, he would adjourn the case till 16th June 2011.

According to the charge sheet on count one, the accused persons, between 20 April 2009 and 10 March 2011, being the persons engaged in the processing of the Biometric ID card and producing other official documents sold and intentionally withheld the sum of twenty-seven million, six hundred and one thousand and ninety dalasi and thereby caused loss to the government.

Count two read that the accused persons, Pristine Consulting, Assan Touray and Abdourahman Touray, being the persons engaged by the Gambia government to produce and supply finger scanning machine and accessories, intentionally failed to produce and supply as required and thereby did an act detrimental to the economy of The Gambia.

Count three stated that between 20 April 2009 and March 2011, the accused persons conspired to defraud the public by printing and selling Gambian biometric ID Cards, driving licence, and residential permit, all of which contain a biometric chip.

Count four stated that the accused persons, Pristine Consulting, Assan Touray and Abdourahman Touray, on 20 April 2009 received on behalf of the Government of The Gambia twenty-seven million, six hundred and one thousand and ninety dalasi.