The British-born managing director of Australian mining company, Carnegie Minerals Plc, Charles Northfield, Thursday appeared before a high court in Banjul on charges relating to alleged economic crimes and theft, judicial sources revealed. Mr. Northfield was said to have appeared before Judge Na Ceesay Sallah and was s eeking for a review of his bail condition. I urge the courts indulgence to reduce the bail condition to US$ 100,000 by way of deposits to the Registrar of High Court, Lawyer Manneh, counsel for Mr. Nor thfield, said. Gambia’s Director of Public Prosecution, Emmanuel Fagbenle, did not object to th e defence counsels application asking for bail for Mr. Northfield. The presiding judge was said to have adjourned the case to 25 February for ruling on the bail application. The Gambian government recently revoked the company’s operating license and arrested Mr. Northfield for an alleged “rip off” of the West African country. The company then swiftly reacted by dismissing those claims and insisted that it was operating within the terms and conditions stipulated in its license.
