By Adama Makasuba
Police have launched a man-hunt for two men over criminal acts after arresting a third man during a raid on a vehicle.
“Two men are on the run whilst a third man is in custody for conspiracy to commit a felony. Personnel of the Anti-Crime Unit were on a routine patrol recently in Brusubi when they signaled a speeding Volkswagen Taxi to stop but the driver failed to stop and after a hot pursuit.
“The driver alighted and took to his heels with a 2nd person whilst a 3rd man was arrested at the scene. After a thorough search of the vehicle, two goats and a sheep were found in the trunk with their mouths gagged,” Police said
Meanwhile, Police added: “a young man from Brikama in the West Coast Region is currently in police custody, after being caught red-handed for stealing. Mamadou Bah, a resident of Busumbala and carpenter by profession was found inside A&K Bureau de Change at Kairaba Avenue holding a screw and black bag which contained an amount of D250,000.00 believed to have been stolen from the said Bureau.
“Momodou sneaked into the Bureau when people left for Friday prayers. According to an eyewitness, he saw the bureau open and decided to confirm what was going on. When he saw the accused person inside, he called out for public attention to the incident. Consequently, the scene was visited, the accused apprehended and he helped the police with the investigation.”
Police also announced that the Tourism Security Unit command conducted a raiding exercise over the weekend whereupon 11 suspected sex workers were arrested. All of the suspects are Nigerian Nationals who are between the ages of 22 to 34 years.
“These ladies have been operating tactically, thus detecting their activities was even more difficult unless they were reported to the police station. The suspected sex workers are usually brought in by other experienced workers who would put them through a spiritual initiation of either taking an oath or taking their pictures to a shrine to swear that they will pay all the expenses spent on their travel, failure of which can lead to madness or even death. A widow and mother of three who is nicknamed ‘Happiness’ narrated how she came to The Gambia by land through an agent who she works for. According to her, she should pay a sum of D200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Dalasi) to her master for the travel expenses while on her way to The Gambia
“She also claimed to have already paid D120,000 but she was later sent out of the house on allegation of her involvement in thievery. Consequently, her boss forced her to hand over all the money she had been saving. In her Street walking business, she claimed that she makes two or three thousand Dalasis per night, depending on the market. She claimed to have been saving some money for her return to Nigeria and reuniting with her family, but at the same time repaying the remaining sum of loaned money to her defunct boss.
“When asked if she was aware of her purpose of being trafficked, she confessed that she was informed about it by two other ladies, who abruptly rejected the idea after being told about some spiritual undertakings. She claimed to have consented because she needs the money to support her children, but some of her colleagues were deceived as they came with the hope that they were coming for lucrative jobs and businesses,” Police narrated.