Wednesday, 26 March 2008
By Lyn Barton Mining engineer Charlie Northfield fears he will not get a fair trial when he faces a Gambian court on charges of illegally mining uranium. The Plymouth-born father-of-three stands trial on April 7 alongside his employers, British mining firm Carnegie Minerals. He is denying the charges and has claimed that the Gambian authorities have “no evidence” against him. But he said: “I feel that I have little chance of a fair trial. “I have no idea how long the court case will take. The prosecution lawyers have yet to produce any witness statements or evidence to support the ludicrous charges against me. “The police had no evidence, but I was still charged on four counts of economic crimes.”Mr Northfield, 48, was arrested on February 12 and held at the police HQ in the Gambian capital of Banjul for three days before being charged with three counts of economic charges and one count of theft. He then spent ten days in the notorious Mile 2 prison – where he was not even allowed to speak to his wife – before being released on bail of US450,000. His passport was confiscated and he is unable to leave the African country. Mr Northfield said friends in Gambia have been supporting him and that he is living in a hotel and trying to enjoy some outdoor pursuits. He said: “The hotel is popular with British tourists and there is a steady stream of new arrivals from the UK, with more than a few from the Westcountry taking advantage of the flight from Bristol Airport. “I am in good health and getting a bit of exercise. I have been trying to keep myself busy by engaging in some outside activities, boating, fishing and sightseeing.”The former Plymouth College of Further Education student, whose mother and siblings still live in the city, thanked Plymothians for their good wishes. He said: “I would like to thank everyone for providing continued support for my family in Plymouth and for the daily words of comfort to my mother, brother, sisters and all of their families. “I have been amazed by the number of people showing their concern for my livelihood.”Mr Northfield’s work has taken him abroad and he has lived in Thailand for the past five years, with his wife Nueng and children Charles, 18, Thomas, 11, and Natalie, seven. His family back home has set up an Internet blog and there is a Facebook page dedicated to him, too. He said: “I have been humbled by the response of friends from all corners of the globe, friends that I have worked with in different mining operations around the world, friends that I studied with at Camborne School of Mines, friends from my teenage years and even friends from my primary school. “I hope I will have the opportunity to thank you all personally in the not too distant future.”He said he was extremely grateful for the support given to his wife in Thailand. “Nueng has had a torrid time from the day I was arrested,” he said. “She has been amazingly strong in maintaining her poise and looking after our children in the most difficult of circumstances. “I was not allowed to speak to my wife from prison, but since my release on bail I have spoken to her on a daily basis. “Nueng has been granted a visa to enter the UK and is hoping to visit Gambia next month after staying with my family in Plymouth.”Carnegie Minerals has been operating in Gambia since 1999, digging mineral sands which are sent to China for use in construction. But in January, the firm suspended its activities after the Gambian government began a probe into its operations. The workers decamped to neighbouring Senegal, but returned when mining resumed in February. The firm, and Mr Northfield, were then accused of commercially mining titanium, iron ore and uranium and the company’s mining licence was cancelled by the Gambian government. Commodity speculation is thought to have pushed the price of uranium up from 7 per lb in 2000 to more than 100 today. Carnegie Minerals “strongly refutes” the charges brought against it and Mr Northfield. It has stressed that titanium and iron oxide is a component of mineral sands and uranium is a trace element and cannot be economically extracted, and therefore has no commercial value.
