By: Tijan S. Touray
Alagie Saidy Faye, a resident of Brikama Jamisa in the West Coast Region of The Gambia, appeared in court on Thursday, February 6, to answer serious allegations of obtaining money under false pretenses.
Magistrate A. Fofana of the Brikama Magistrates Court is overseeing the case.
The prosecution’s case is clear: Faye allegedly deceived Samba Bah into paying him D130,000 by falsely claiming he owned a plot of land for sale that measured 20x20m² in Brikama Jamisa. This fraudulent act constitutes a significant crime.
D.S.P. B. Sawneh, representing the Inspector General of Police, demanded that Faye provide a detailed account of the events.
Faye attempted to explain that he had started a business when Amadou Jallow approached him with specific interest from Samba in purchasing land. Faye confirmed that a plot was available for sale.
He indicated that a visit to the land was arranged for Samba, during which Faye set the price at D15,000. Subsequently, Amadou stated that Samba would only pay D13,000, effectively undermining the transaction.
Faye stated, “The first payment was D80,000, and the second payment was D10,000.” He asserted that all payments were made to Amadou and subsequently transferred to him. However, he failed to mention that Samba later sought a different plot of land than what had been allocated, which was already developed by someone else, leading to a debacle.
As tensions rose, Samba turned to the police for resolution. Faye admitted that the police instructed him to refund the money, an indication of the gravity of the situation.
Prosecutor Sawneh underscored Faye’s unwillingness to address the complaint and asserted that he should have promptly returned the funds to Samba. It was made abundantly clear that Faye had secured this money under false pretenses.
The court has rescheduled the matter for March 10, 2025, allowing Faye the opportunity to present his witnesses. The implications of these allegations are serious, and the court will ensure a thorough examination of all evidence presented.