Briton's trial continues

The trial involving one Michael Russel, a British national, continued recently before Magistrate Tabally of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court with the testimony of the third prosecution witness, one Momodou Fatty.

Mr. Russel was charged with the offence of obtaining money by false pretence, a charge he denied.

Testifying before the court, Momodou Fatty said he recognised the accused person, and could recall what happened sometime in the month of September 2003, when one Kanburama Ceesay (PW2) called him to his shop.

According to the witness, PW2 asked him to bear witness, as he was about to pay money to the accused person.

"I followed him to a house in Touray Kunda, where I found the accused persons, Yorro Manneh, Lamin Ceesay and Ebrima Jeng sitting," he stated.

He narrated that PW2 informed him that the accused has a company in Mauritania, and that he (PW2) wanted his son to join the company.

PW2 also told him that the accused demanded D70, 000 from him, that an amount of D35, 000 should be paid to him, and the remaining D35, 000 to be converted into Euros to be paid in Mauritania.

"In my presence, PW2 handed D35, 000 to the accused and converted the remaining D35, 000 into Euros," the witness told the court.

He revealed that he was later told by PW2 that his son left the Gambia for Mauritania, and that after ten days his son returned, and explained to him that he was handed over to bandits.

The case was adjourned to 24th October 2010 for continuation.