By Nicholas Bass
Magistrate Mben Faal of Kanifing Magistrates’ Court, on Tuesday, 18th July 2023, granted a warrant of arrest as applied for by the prosecutor in charge of the case involving LaminDavid Conteh, a British Gambian ‘Semester’ and Abdoulie Jattato enable the former (Lamin David Conteh) to appear in court.
Lamin David Conteh, a British Gambian ‘Semester’ was allegedly accused of stealing a vehicle of Abdoulie Jatta.
When the case was called yesterday, Magistrate Mben Faalemphasized the prosecution’s motion (Cherno Jallow) that applied for the issuing of a warrant of arrest for the alleged accused, Lamin David Conteh, living in the United Kingdom. The Magistrate said that the prosecutor Sub-Inspector Cherno B. Jallow applied for the order from the court deemed it fitted for the circumstance of the accused (Lamin David Colley) who allegedly stole a motor vehicle of Abdoulie Jatta worth D500,000.
Magistrate Faal recalled the prosecution’s motion that was supported by an affidavit of ten (10) paragraphs, pointed out that the affidavit according to the prosecutor was sworn by Inspector Buba Sanyang, the Station Officer of Kotu Criminal Investigation Unit cited that the prosecution seeks a warrant of arrest from the court for the Police counterparts (Interpol) to execute the arrest of the accused, Lamin David Conteh who shall appear before the court for trial.
Magistrate Faal in her verdict said,” having taking time to look through the prosecution’s (C Jallow ) submission and also at the depose of the affidavit especially paragraph (9) which deposed that the Police Headquarters in Banjul have seen the notification for the assistance of her UK counterparts, Interpol.
Therefore, ”I hold that the application of prosecutor C. Jallowhas merits and his relief ought to be granted. I hereby issued a bench warrant for the prosecution (C. Jallow) for the arrest of Lamin David Conteh to appear before the court,” Magistrate Faal ordered.
However, the bench warrant informed all Police Officers and Court Messengers to take notice of the whereabouts of the accused, commanding him (Lamin David Conteh) to personally appear before Kanifing Magistrates’ Court and testify about his knowledge concerning the summon or charge of a stolen vehicle of Abdoulie Jatta, therein it invokes the authority of the President of the Republic of The Gambia for Interpol to apprehend and bring the British semester, Lamin David Contehfor trial at Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.
It could be recalled that the accused, Lamin David Conteh on the 1st of September 2022 at Kotu and diverse places within the Kanifing Municipality of the Republic of the Gambia stole a motor vehicle marked Nissan registration number BJL 7461 R valued at D500,000 being the property of Abdoulie Jatta.
