Yaya Barry, a regional manager of the Gambia Telecommunication Company Limited (GAMTEL) in the Upper River Region, and Bubacarr Marong, a mechanic, were last Friday arraigned before Magistrate Emmanuel Nkea of the Banjul Magistrates' Court charged with stealing by clerk or servant. Both denied the charge.
The alleged offence revealed that Yaya Barry and Bubacarr Marong, between July 2007 and October 2009 in Basse, Upper River Region, while being employees of Gamtel as the regional manager and mechanic respectively, jointly stole fuel from the Gamtel fuel pump and received coupons equivalent to the sum of D1,163,213.00, being the properties of Gamtel.
Superintendent Sainey Joof, the prosecuting officer, told the court that the alleged offence was committed in Basse in the Upper River Region and, therefore, applied for the accused persons to be tried at the proper jurisdiction.
Magistrate Nkea ruled that since the alleged offence was committed in Basse, it would be proper for the accused persons to be tried in the proper jurisdiction, where the offence was committed.
He said the Banjul Magistrates' Court "lacks" the jurisdiction to hear the case.
He subsequently struck out the case, and urged the police to take the matter either to the High Court or Basse Magistrates' Court.
