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Gambia News: Journalist With State Broadcaster Finally Released On Bail

Malick Jones, a principal producer of the state-owned Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) was released on 21 September 2007 after finally executing his bail condition in the sum of 200,000 Dalasi (approx. US$9,500).

Jones and another journalist, Mam Sait Ceesay, a former editor of the pro-government "Daily Observer" newspaper, were held incommunicado for three days, before being charged on 12 September with "passing information to a foreign journalist, contrary to Section 4(1) (a) of the Official Secret Act of the Laws of The Gambia."

The Magistrates' Court in Banjul granted them bail under much stricter conditions than normal. Unable to meet the conditions, the two journalists were further detained. Ceesay was released on 18 September, five days after being granted bail.

Until his release, Jones had been detained at the Remand wing of the Mile 2 State central prison on the outskirts of Banjul for ten days.

They are to reappear in court on 26 September.