Babucarr Ceesay, a prisoner, who also has a pending case, on 29 May 2014, was arraigned before Magistrate Jobarteh of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court, along with one Ebrima Sallah.
They were charged on five counts of conspiracy, office breaking, willful damage to property, and stealing and possession of suspected stolen property.
They denied the allegations.
According to the particulars of offence on count one, Babucarr Ceesay and Ebrima Sallah, on 14 April 2014, at Farage and Andrews Law Practice office, 78 Altantic Boulevard Fajara, in the Kanifing Municipality, jointly and unlawfully conspired to commit a felony to wit stealing.
Count two stated that the accused persons on the same date and place willfully and unlawfully broke into the said office with intent to commit felony therein to wit stealing.
The particulars in count three indicated that the accused persons on the same date and at the same place willfully and unlawfully damaged the following: double tempered glass door valued at D56,000 and one burglar proofing glass sliding window valued at D10,000, totaling D66,000, the property of Fajara and Andrews Law `Practice Office.
Count four read that the accused persons on the same date and at the same place stole a black bag containing files value unknown, the property of Farage and Andrews Law Practice Office.
According to count five, Ebrima Sallah on 21 May 2014, at Serrekunda, in the Kanifing Municipality, had in his possession the following: 1HB laptop and 1 IPad (Apple), value unknown, suspected to be stolen or unlawfully obtained.
After the charge sheet was read to the accused persons, the prosecuting officer, ASP Mballow, rose and applied to the court not to grant the accused persons bail.
He posited that the first accused, Babucarr Ceesay, had many convictions and had been serving a sentence at Mile 2 prisons.
He said if he were granted bail, he would abscond.
He also stated that the second accused, Ebrima Sallah, would jump bail if he were granted it.
He added that the accused persons should be kept from the society.
Magistrate Jobarteh granted ASP Mballow’s application not to grant the first accused, Babucarr Ceesay, bail.
He subsequently granted bail to the second accused, Ebrima Sallah, with two Gambian sureties who should swear to an affidavit of means to the tune of D100,000 each and deposit their ID cars to the registrar of the court.
The case was adjourned till 10 June 2014, for ASP Mballow to call his first witness to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.
