By Sainabou Sambou
Abdourahman Jallow, one of the police witnesses Monday testified in the ongoing false pretence case in Kanifing Magistrate Court presided over by Magistrate Colley.
In his witness, he said his brother Momodou Jallow introduced him to Musa Ceesay whose real name is Pa Modou Jolo.
He said his brother Momodou told him that Musa helps people to travel and because of that he collected his (Musa) number from his brother and communicated with him about the procedures of the deal. He said he told Musa that he wanted him to help him to travel because his brother told him that he helps people to travel to America.
He said later on Musa introduced him to his wife Binta Bojang and told him that he should make payment to the wife because he (Musa) is not in The Gambia.
Then, he said, Musa told him that before he will help him, he should pay ten thousand dalasis amount that he paid to Musa’s wife.
“Later on, I called Musa to confirm whether his wife told him about my payment and Musa’s responded yes the wife did,” he said while added that days later Musa called him on WhatsApp saying he should send three passports size and three thousand dalasis which he should pay to Musa’s wife. He said he met with Binta (Musa’s wife) at West Field and gave her the money.
Meanwhile, he said Musa called him again and told him to pay money, he said he told Musa that he doesn’t have money on him at that moment.
“Later on, I called Musa via WhatsApp, I told him that I have only two thousand dalasis with me, he told me to do the payment to Binta, which I did at Serrekunda opposite the police station with my brother in-law who served as my witness” he said.
He continued that days after Musa told him that if he wants the process to go fast he should pay twelve thousand dalasis to Binta, and he said he did paid the money to her at Westfield where they met. And he said Musa called him via WhatsApp again telling him that he should pay seventy-five thousand dalasis to Binta, he said that was the time he told Musa that he has been paying monies to his wife without giving him receipt but this time around that he should provide receipt for him or a draft paper which should serve as his evidence. He said Musa told him that he is in the process of preparing receipt for him.
He said he called Binta and they met at Latrikunda Kow Junction, and when Binta was coming she came with a drafted paper which represented receipt. Again, he said he went with his brother in-law to be his witness when doing the payment to Binta.
The witness also told the court that each time he made payment to Binta he will call the husband, the accused, to confirm the payment.
Meanwhile he said Musa asked him if he is having family in America while he told him no because of that he said Musa also asked him to pay for residential permit, that was the time, according to him, asked Musa what is the cost of residential permit and he said it is three hundred Euros.
He narrated further that he asked Musa if he should change the money to Gambian dalasis and how what could be the equivalent in dalasi and Musa told him it is seventeen thousand dalasi. This amount he also paid to Binta said whenever he made payment to Binta he calls Musa to confirm about the payment. He said Musa asked him whether he has relatives in America and he said no, he said Musa told him that he should pay residential permit. He said that was the time he asked Musa how much is the residential permit, he said Musa told him t that’s going to be three hundred Euro, he said he ask Musa if he should change the money to Gambian dalasis how much would it be, he said Musa told him that’s going to be seventeen thousand dalasis. He said he met with Binta wife of Musa Ceesay (Pa Modou Jolo) to pay the money to her as usual.
However, he said later on he started having problems with Musa and that was the time he knew that his name is not Musa Ceesay but Pa Modou Jolo and he reported the matter to the police station.
At this juncture the case was adjourned to the 26th January 2022 at 1:30 PM for continuation