By Sainabou Sambou
Five men were Wednesday arraigned before Magistrate Mam Samba Jallow of the Kanifing Magistrate Court for been in possession of stolen properties.
The five accused persons are Omar Faye (Senegalese), Basiru Jassey (Senegalese), Alieu Mbye (Gambian), Alasana Trawally (Malian) and Wisdom Emeka (Nigerian)
According to statement of their offence the accused persons were in possession of suspected stolen properties, an offence contrary to section 298(1) of the criminal code cap 10 Vol. III laws of The Gambia 2009.
Reading the particulars of their offence, Omar Faye (Senegalese) first accused person, on or about the 1st March, 2021at Serekunda Black Market at around 18:00pm onwards in the Kanifing Municipality of the Republic of The Gambia, did had in his possession a Samsung grand prime mobile phone, Samsung J6 mobile phone, Tecno Spark 4 mobile phone and A10s mobile phone reasonably believed to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained, thereby committed an offence.
The second accused, Basiru Jassey on about the 1st March, 2021 at Serrekunda Black Market at around 18:00pm onwards in the Kanifing Municipality of the Republic of The Gambia had in his possession Samsung A10s Mobile Phone and Itel A56 mobile phone reasonably believed to have been stole or unlawfully obtained, thereby committed an offence.
Accused person number three (Gambian) did on or about the 1st of March 2021 at Serrekunda Black Market at around 18:00pm onwards in the Kanifing Municipality of the Republic of The Gambia has in his possession Samsung grand prime mobile phone and Itel S32 mobile phone reasonably believed to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained, and Alasana Trawally (Malian) did on or about the 1st March, 2021 at Serrekunda Black Market at around 18:00pm onwards in the Kanifing Municipality of The Republic of The Gambia had in his possession ZTE mobile phone, Tecno mobile phone and Huawei mobile phone reasonably believed to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained.
And the fifth accused, Wisdom Emeka (Nigerian) on or about 1st March, 2021 at Serrekunda Black market at around 18:00pm onwards in the Kanifing Municipality of the Republic of The Gambia had in his possession Samsung J2 mibile phone and Samsung J3 mobile phone reasonably believed to have been stolen or unlawfully obstained. Thereby committed an offence.
The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th accused person said the y have nothing to say while the 1st accused was only one answered questions from the prosecutor.
Answering questions from the prosecutor, Omar Faye said he is a mobile phone technician, a profession he said he had learned through apprenticeship.
Omar Faye the anti-crimes officers arrested many of them while he affirmed that it is true that he was questioned by the anti-crimes officer but that he gave clear information to them on how he got those phones.
The prosecutor put it to him that he didn’t get them in the rightful way that was why he was arrested and charged before the court. The prosecutor continuing in his questioning that as a phone technician, he (Omar) can open someone’s phone without knowing the password to the phone. Omar declined that saying it is not ‘true,’ while prosecutor maintained that the four phones that was taken from him he (Omar) did not get them in a rightful way but Omar again denied the statement of the prosecutor.
The case was later adjourned till 26th May, 2021 as L Gomez 117 represented the IGP.
