BAC staff, others charged

Fatou Secka, a staff of the Brikama Area Council, was yesterday arraigned alongside Lamin Jallow, Omar Bah and Jerreh Manjang before the vacation judge at the high court in Banjul.

The four were charged with conspiracy to defraud, forgery, economic crimes and official corruption.

Meanwhile, Lamin Jallow, Omar Bah and Jerreh Manjang all pleaded guilty to count one, and they were consequently convicted and sentenced to a fine of D10,000 each in default to serve one year in prison with hard labour.

Lamin Jallow and Jerreh Manjang also pleaded guilty to count two, and were sentenced to a fine of D40,000 in default to serve four years in prison with hard labour.

Lamin Jallow, Omar Bah and Jerreh Manjang were each granted court bail of D10,000 with a Gambian surety each, while Fatou Secka who denied all the counts was granted court bail of D700,000 with two Gambian sureties who must have landed property within the Greater Banjul Area.

The case was then adjourned till 23 August 2011.

According to the particulars of offence on count one, Lamin Jallow Omar Bah, Jerreh Manjang and Fatou Secka, between 2010 and 2011 at Jeshwang in the KSMD, with intent to defraud conspired among themselves and forged Brikama Area Council market revenue receipts, and thereby committed an offence.

The charge sheet on count two stated that, on 26 May 2011 at Jeshwang in the KSMD, with intent to defraud they forged Brikama Area Council revenue receipts, and thereby committed an offence.

Count three read that between 2010 and 2011 at Jeshwang KSMD, Lamin Jallow and Fatou Secka fraudulently printed and sold Brikama Area Council revenue receipts, which was detrimental to the economy of The Gambia.

Whereas count four stated that the accused person, Fatou Secka, between 2010 and 2011, being employed in the public service at the Brikama Area Council  in the West Coast Region, corruptly obtained and forged Brikama Area Council revenue receipts, which she benefitted from, and thereby committed an offence.