Convicted Woman Testifies Against Co-accused

One Aji Kumba Ndure, who was arraigned on the 23rd September 2009 alongside Ndey Korka Ndong for allegedly stealing some jewelry, recently testified for the prosecution against her co-accused.

Aji Kumba Ndure pleaded guilty and was convicted accordingly, while her co-accused, Ndey Korka Ndong pleaded not guilty.

Aji Kumba Ndure, a hairdresser, told the court that Ndey Korka Ndong is her friend. She adduced that she did not know the complaint, Aji Sukai Secka Sanyang, but saw her at the police station. She told the court that on the 15th of September 2009, she was at

She testified that on that day, she received a telephone call from Ndey Korka Ndong and she left for Kanifing and upon arrival at the Kanifing Estate junction, she also telephoned the second accused who came with her son and met her at the said junction.

She further testified that while discussing with the second accused, the daughter of the compliant appeared and greeted the second accused and after she'd left, the second accused told her that she's the daughter of Aji Sukai Secka Sanyang, and also gave her the information that Aji Sukai Secka Sanyang had some gold jewelry.

She disclosed that they proceeded to the next junction where she was shown the residence of the complainant. She added that after showing her the compound she told her that she should go there and ask for the complainant's daughter who had passed them at the junction.

She told the court that she went there and asked for the daughter, Aji Sally, and was told that she was out.

She revealed that she went into the sitting room and sat down, and then told the housemaid that she wanted to charge her mobile phone because it had a low battery.

She said she sent the small girl to buy her a scratch card and after called the second accused and informed her that there was nobody in the house except the housemaid. She testified that the second accused told her that she should pass through the corridor and that there were three rooms and the third room belongs to the complainant.

She told the court that she then entered the bedroom and took the jewelry box that the second accused told her was on a table in the bedroom. She said after taking the box, she then telephoned the second accused and told her that she had taken it. She testified that the second accused then asked her to come out while she (the second accused) was standing with a small boy call Abass.

She further said that when she came out she saw a taxi and stopped it and hired it.

She testified that they collected the second accused at the junction with Abass who was later dropped at the Kairaba Shopping Centre and they proceeded to a moor and the second accused alighted from the car and went to a moor in a business centre.

She adduced that the second accused came out with an iron to open the jewelry box but could not do so and was assisted by the driver to open it.

She stated that she saw some silver, gold and some documents in the jewelry box. She further narrated that she also came out of the car and went with the second accused to the moor's shop and told the moor to check whether the jewelry were pure gold. She adduced that the moor confirmed that the jewelry were pure gold and went further to say that he sometimes buys silver items. She added that she then asked the moor as to how much was the value of the jewelry and he said it was worth D100, 000 or more.

She further testified that she then told the second accused to sell the jewelry to the moor but she did not agree and advised her (the first accused) to dispose the empty jewelry box, which they did at Kololi. She revealed that they came back to the moor's shop and urged him to increase his offer and he offered them D20, 000 more. She testified that he told them he had no money in his shop, but asked them to go with him to Banjul where he gave them D120, 000 for the said jewelry.

She stated that the second accused gave her D30, 000 and retained D90, 000 and told her (the first accused) that she could not set her mind at rest and she (the first accused) also told her the same. She said she then paid the driver D5000 and retained D25, 000. She adduced that the reason why the second accused gave her D30,000 was that they were approaching the Koriteh and the D30,000 was for her to cover her Koriteh expenses and that if the theft was not discovered, they would later share the D90,000.

She further narrated that few days later the second accused telephoned her for them to meet in Banjul. She said when she met her in Banjul the second accused showed her a text message on her mobile phone and after reading it, she (the second accused) told her that someone had been texting her all night that if she (the second accused) failed to produce her (the first accused) he or she (the sender) would arrest her.

She told the court that they went to one marabout behind the Albert Market and explained everything to him and he told them that they should not have done it. She testified that the second accused then left her in Banjul and returned to Kanifing.

She further told the court that after two days, the second accused used a different number to telephone her and asked where she was. She testified that she told the second accused that she was in a saloon and later the second accused and the complainant appeared there with the police and arrested her.

The case was adjourned to the 5th October 2009 for cross-examination by the defense counsel.