Principal Magistrate Sainabou Wadda-Ceesay of the Kanifing Magistrates Court, yesterday granted bail to six Gambian journalists in the sum of D200, 000 each with two Gambian sureties.

The court's decision followed an application for bail by the accused persons during the last sitting, which was objected to by the Director of Public Prosecution, RN Chenge. Delivering her ruling yesterday, the presiding magistrate overruled the objection raised by the DPP citing several authorities on the point of law.

The seventh accused person, Sarata Jabbie-Dibba, had earlier on been granted bail on the same conditions. The seven journalists, namely Sam Sarr, Pap Saine, Ebrima Sawaneh, Pa Modou Faal, Abubacarr Saidy-Khan and Emily Touray and Sarata Jabbie-Dibba, were dragged to court on three counts of seditious publication.

Present in court during yesterday's sitting were the United States Ambassador to The Gambia, Barry Wells, officials from the British High Commission in Banjul and relatives of the seven. The trial continues on July 7th 2009 when the seven are expected to take their plea.