Alleged theft case heard

The first prosecution witness (PW1), Mbemba Camara, recently testified in the trial involving one Sunkary Sanneh, accused of stealing from a dwelling house, before Magistrate J. Nahra of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.

Testifying, Mr Camara told the court that he lives at Old Jeshwang and works as a monitoring and evaluation officer at the International and Relief Development organisation.

He recognised the accused, who was accused of stealing the following items from his house: a laptop marked Dell valued at D10,000, one football valued at D6,000, stand fan valued at D650, cash box containing D3,000, a box containing jewels valued at D4,500 and an adapter valued at D250.

According to him, he informed his neighbours because he and his wife usually go to work, adding that one Sarjo Ceesay told him that the accused went there in the afternoon asking for one Real, but she told him that there was no one called Real in the compound.

Sarjo further told him (the witness) that even if he saw the accused at night she would recognise him, he told the court.

He went to the shop of one Dawda Jallow in the said compound who also told him that when he was closing his shop in the afternoon to go to the Serrekunda Market, he saw the accused standing on the veranda, but he thought it was the boys who normally camp there.

Mr Camara further explained that he went to one Lamin Conteh, a football trainer at the field, and told him that his football was stolen and that the children going to ‘Dara’ told him that they saw the said football in the field.

Lamin told him that he knew the accused who brought the said ball into the field and promised to bring the accused to him, he said.

He adduced that after a while, Lamin called him to come home as he was at his home with the accused, together with the said ball.

His neighbours, Sarjo and Dawda, the shopkeeper, both recognised the accused, adding that he asked the accused where he got the said ball from and he said he bought it for D200.

Later the accused was taken to Old Jeshwang Police Station, where he lodged a complaint and his statement was obtained.

At that juncture, the accused was granted court bail of D30,000 with two Gambian sureties who must swear to an affidavit of means.

The case was adjourned until 3 March 2016.

The charge sheet read that on 21 February 2016, at Old Jeshwang in the Kanifing Municipality, he stole from a dwelling house of one Mbemba Camara items whose total value was D24,400, all the property of the said Mbemba Camara.