Magistrate Ngube of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court on 16 February 2012 discharged and acquitted 21 youths who were charged with willful damage to property.
This development followed an application made by the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Darboe, to withdraw the case.
Magistrate Ngube told the court that based on the application made by the prosecutor he was granting the application, and warned the accused persons not to throw stones again at the Manjai Police Station.
Lawyer Jobe, who was representing the accused persons, told the court that she was grateful for granting the application made by the prosecutor.
The accused persons were Samba Mboge, Ebrima Bah, Sulayman Danso, Modou Ceesay, Musa Joof, Alpha Sabally, Kawsu Joof, Amadou Nyabally, Yaya Bayo, Musa Suso, Modou L. Camara, Amat Sanyang, Amadou Camara, Fabakary Jaiteh, Musa Manneh, Modou Baye, Alpha Barry, Kekuta Nyokeh, Sellu Bah, Ismaila Ceesay and Modou Jallow.
The particulars of offence stated that on 16 December 2011, at Manjai, in the Kanifing Municipality, the accused persons committed an offence by willfully damaging the following: the Manjai Police Station’s television set, the refrigerator, the station’s door and window glasses, its sign board, the electrical bulbs, ceiling fan, visitors’ chairs, the station’s ambulance’s windscreen and the windscreen of a Bakau Police Station vehicle with registration number GPF 14KFG, by throwing gravel stones and physically damaging some of the items mentioned above.
The charge sheet on count two indicated that the accused persons also committed an offence by using abusive language against the police, accusing them of being “witches” and telling them to eat the dead body of one Alpha Omar Jobe which was brought to the station, who they alleged was killed by the police.
