48 Million CFA Money Doubling Case Kicks off

Amadou Jallow, Amadou Bailo Camara and Saikou Trawally, 1st, 2nd and 3rd accused persons, were arraigned before Senior Magistrate Abdoulie Mbackeh of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court for receiving money under false pretence. They denied the allegation.

The complainant, Kemo Dibasy, in his evidence under cross-examination, told the court that he gave 2 million CFA to the first accused who told him that the money was to facilitate the collection of materials from his brother in Dakar. He stated that that he again gave the 1st accused, on his arrival in Dakar, an additional 46 million CFA to buy some chemicals.

He further testified that he at some point received a telephone call from the 1st accused, instructing him to meet them. He disclosed that at the meeting at Lamin Jallow's house he was shown the chemicals, adding that he was told that the chemical bottle was broken and that the 1st accused then told him to give the 2nd accused D50, 000, which he did.

Asked whether he wanted the court to believe that he paid D50, 000 to the 2nd accused for a job he did not know, the complainant replied that he had paid the money to the 2nd accused.

He further stated that he never knew that the transaction was illegal. He adduced that the 1st accused promised to refund him his money after he finished the job. He further revealed that he also paid D264, 000 for the purpose of processing the items on the advice of the 3rd accused, adding that the 3rd accused also asked him to pay D1.5 million before the job could be done.

Asked whether he was anticipating receiving more millions and if this was why he had paid the money, he replied that he trusted the 1st accused.

It was put to him that he was engaged in the same scam with the accused persons and that he only reported the matter to the police when it failed. He denied this. The case was adjourned to 24th April 2008 for continuation.

The 1st accused, Amadou Jallow, was represented by Lawyer Mboge.