A man called Salieu Joof was Tuesday arraigned before Magistrate M. Sarre of the Bundung Magistrates’ Court, charged with stealing.
According to the particulars of offence, the accused, Salieu Joof, on 17 October 2014 at Serrekunda in the Kanifing Municipality, stole cash of 500 Euro, a wallet containing D1,000, and a Spanish driving license from a motor vehicle with registration No. BJL 2597 K, the property of one Modi Dukureh, and thereby committed an offence.
The accused person was granted court bail of D30, 000 with two Gambian sureties with ID cards.
The complainant, Modi Dukureh, said he lives in Lamin and is a farmer.
He recognized the accused person, and said on 17 October 2014 something transpired between him and the accused person.
He parked his vehicle at the Banjul carpark in Serrekunda. The accused person came and asked if the vehicle was for sale, and he answered in the affirmative.
They discussed the price, and he asked if he could take it for a test.
They went together up to the airport and, on their return to Serrekunda, they stopped at Tabokoto where he wanted to buy something at a shop, he further told the court.
The wallet was placed near the driving seat. He removed the wallet and went to the shop, and when he came back, the accused person told him to return the wallet where it was, and he returned it there, Durukeh told the court.
They came up to Churchill’s Town at the Ebo Town junction, where the accused person said he would be dropping.
During their separation, the accused person told him he is a businessman who owned a shop at Westfield, and that he normally travels to Dubai, Durukeh added.
“I asked for his telephone number, and he said he is not having any but only a Senegalese line. He took my number, and said he will call me to a make transaction for the car.”
Dukureh continued his journey to Westfield where he wanted to buy chicken. He looked for the wallet, but it was not there.
He went to Serrekunda Police Station to report the matter, but was asked to report it at Hanover Police Station, which was nearer to where the incident took place.
The police asked if he could recognize the man, if seen again, and he answered in the positive.
The second day around the Fire Station at Churchill’s Town, he saw the accused person, and with the help of the fire rescuers, he was caught and the wallet was found with him containing D60, a Spanish driving license and the photocopy of a Spanish residence permit.
The case was adjourned to 30 October 2014, for continuation.
