Gambia Civil Service Hit by Wild Shakeup

The High Court made driver Katim Drammeh face trial after rejecting his request to dismiss the case. Judge Ebrima Jaiteh ordered him to defend himself against charges of causing death through reckless driving. Drammeh allegedly drove his car into an ambulance lane, killing Bakary Keita. He pleaded not guilty when first charged with rash behavior causing death. Six witnesses testified for the prosecution during the hearing.

One witness described how Drammeh sped dangerously into the ambulance lane despite passengers begging him to move aside. A traffic officer showed a sketch of the crash scene that highlighted risks from the accused's driving style. Judge Jaiteh said these accounts proved the driver showed more than just carelessness but complete disregard for safety. The court found enough evidence to establish a case against Drammeh. His defense team had argued that prosecutors failed to prove both the cause of death and recklessness.

Judge Jaiteh examined whether these defense claims had merit under Criminal Procedure Code rules. He concluded that prosecutors presented both direct and circumstantial evidence connecting Drammeh to the crash. The judge dismissed the defense motion as lacking merit. The case will move forward with Drammeh required to present his defense.