afrol News, 22 February - The manager of the expelled Australian mining firm [Carnegie Minerals] has been arraigned before the Banjul High Court, charged with four counts of mineral offences.

Carnegie's British manager, Charles Northfield, was arrested and detained few days after The Gambia government confirmed the cancellation of the company's licence.

He was formally charged last week, but his lawyer returned to the courts on Thursday to apply for their client's bail conditions to be reduced. Lawyer Manneh said his client has urged the court to reduce the bail condition to US $100,000 as deposit to the court registrar.

This application was endorsed by the prosecution on the grounds that "the issue of reviewing the bail condition touches on the due procedures."

The defence filed a formal application for the review of the bail conditions, but the court adjourned the case until 25 February 2008 for ruling.

On 15 January 2008, Gambian government gave the Australian company a 24-hour ultimatum to "come clean" on its activities in the country or else face expulsion.

Carnegie was ordered to furnish the Gambian public about its quantity of mined results, international price of exported tonnage and provide assay laboratory results.

The firm has been mining zircon and rutile in the Gambian coastal village of Sanyang before shipping the products to China.

Gambian authorities accused Carnegie of exporting unreported minerals out of the country.

Carnegie disputed the government's version of the story, insisting that the firm had complied with all the terms of its mining licence in The Gambia.

Carnegie also holds interests in Senegal's Niarafarang, which holds up to five million tonnes of high-grade mineral sands and heavy metals.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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