Yasanou Joe, a banker, recently told a crowded court before Magistrate F.L. Drammeh of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court that she lost D100,000 to one Muhtarr Cham who claimed to be a marabout.
According to her, she gave D50,000 and 1,350 Euros, which is equivalent to D50,000, totaling D100,000 to the said marabout.
When asked by the prosecuting officer, corporal 3560 Colley, why she gave the money to the accused person, Muhatarr Cham, she told the court that it was the accused person who promised her that he would pray for her to become successful.
Narrating how she met the accused person, she revealed that she was on her way to work when the accused called her attention, and told her a mysterious thing and also about her success.
She further adduced that the accused advised her to give out some cola nuts as charity. She indicated that without wasting time, she gave him her mobile number and fifty dalasi for the charity.
She said after two days, the accused called her while she was at work, and told her that they should meet and she took a break and went with the accused to his house at Tallinding.
She stated that the accused requested for 2 kilo of bitter cola, which cost D400 and three eggs, which should be bought from a man who is fair in complexion.
Narrating further, she told the court that the accused gave her some green powder and asked her to follow his instructions and bath with the mixture of the eggs and the green powder.
Further testifying, she told the court that she returned to the accused after following his instructions and gave him D400 and the eggs. The accused, she added, then put the eggs in an empty pot and asked her to shake it, after which he poured the eggs in an empty bowl.
"We found a black thing, which he said was blocking my success," she further testified. She added that they also found a silver finger ring and a twenty-five butut coin, which the accused told her were her treasures.
She adduced that the accused told her that after praying for her, he would get her into a big river, which is bigger than the Gambia with many trees and fruits. She further stated that the accused told her that the black thing should be thrown in the river, because it would be bad luck for anyone who sees it.
She revealed that the accused again requested for five candles, D5000 and five twenty-five butut coins, which should all be taken to Gunjur village at a secret place for additional prayers. She told the court that the accused had been making much emphasis on his belief in God, and asked her to keep things secret.
The accused, she went on, gave her some liquid to drink. She added that on the 30th July 2010 the accused called and said that the charity had been taken to Gunjur, and that she should meet him to collect some medicine to bath with.
"I took along D3000, D700 and three apples which the accused requested," she told the court. She said she told the accused that she could not deliver all his requests, and that her debt was piling up.
"On the 6th July, 2010, the accused gave me some black liquid with which I should bath and the finger ring with the twenty-five butut coin, and that I should not be seen by anyone," she revealed.
She further narrated that on the 10th July, 2010, she returned to the accused with the ring and the coin and he requested some additional charity amounting to the sum of D6000 for five bags of sugar. She revealed that the total request the accused made in cash was D10, 000 on this date alone.
"I found a suitcase at the accused person's house, and he asked me to put the coin and the ring in it and he gave me two keys to the said suitcase, and then asked me to keep them secretly," she further revealed.
She further narrated that, on the 12th July 2010, the accused assured her that the process was nearing its end, and soon she would call him to say that she has been successful.
"Instead of being successful, I got into trouble because I lost my job," she finally told the court, and there was laughter in the gallery.
Hearing into the case continues.
