#Article (Archive)

Student testifies in alleged fraud and theft trial

Apr 15, 2011, 1:15 PM | Article By: Yusuf Ceesay

Pllaleah Van Weert, a student, on 13 April 2011, testified as the third prosecution witness in the alleged criminal trial involving one Lamin Shabba Danso before Magistrate F.L. Drammeh of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court.

Mr Danso is facing a two-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence and stealing, a charge he has denied.

Testifying for the prosecution, PW3 told the court that she resides at Fajara, that she is a student and that the complainant, Diana Van Weert, is her mother. She said she knew the accused as well.

"I met the accused 13 years ago when I came to The Gambia with my mum and dad on a vacation," the witness told the court. She adduced that before they left, the accused called her mother to send him money to buy a car, which she did.

"We came back to The Gambia in April 2010," PW3 told the court, adding that they saw the BMW but did not see the Audi. She revealed that the accused later told her mother that he needed money for the car to be fixed, which was given to him.

Still testifying, PW3 said that while in Belgium, the accused called to say someone wanted to buy the Audi but the person told him (accused) he did not have enough money instead had a plot of land.

The witness revealed that the accused told her mother that, "she could put some money on top of the vehicle so that he (the accused) could put the said plot land on her name."

She alleged that the accused further demanded for money to fence the land, adding: "My mother gave him money but I did not know the amount."

She noted that her mother came back to The Gambia in August 2010 and she bought another car.

PW3 further told the court that the accused picked them up at the airport with the BMW. She testified that after three weeks, her mother asked the accused about the vehicles and the monies she gave to the accused was to no avail.

"My mother wrote an agreement which was explained to the accused and they both signed it," the witness said.

She told the court that the matter was later reported to the police when the vehicles were not provided.

"At the station the accused denied issuing any plot of land," she told the court.

Hearing continues.