By Kebba Ansu Manneh
Sandy Kuman, a renowned businessman and the Chief Executive Officer of SRN Steel LTD, has been dragged to court for allegedly stealing nineteen oxygen cylinders belonging to Banjul Oxygen Company at a value of D161,000.
The Indian businessman who has been a business associate of Banjul Oxygen was accused of clandestinely stealing properties of Banjul Oxygen and has since been charged with stealing contrary to section 252 of the Criminal Code Volume III of the laws of The Gambia.
He is charged with stealing 19 gas cylinders valued at D161,000 being the property of the country’s first oxygen company – Banjul Oxygen. The matter, which is before her worship Magistrate Faal of the Kanifing Magistrate Court, couldn’t proceed last week due to the absence of the court’s clerk and a court interpreter.
When the matter was called, Supt. Amadou Ebrima Keita announced his appearance for the IGP while the accused person was marked absent because he was not present in court. The case was adjourned to 13 April 2023.
Meanwhile, the accused person, in his first appearance at the court, pleaded not guilty to the charge leveled against him.
It could be recalled that in August 2022, officials of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Gambia Police Force conducted a search and identification of Oxygen Cylinders at the SRN Steels Factory in Kitty Village, Kombo Central District after receiving complaints from Banjul Oxygen Company on missing oxygen cylinders.
During the search and identification exercise held at SRN Steels Factory, more than one hundred and fifteen (115) oxygen cylinders allegedly belonging to Banjul Oxygen Company were recovered from SRN Steels Factory and thus transferred to the Brikama Police Station.
