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Solar panel theft case continues

Oct 29, 2010, 10:31 AM | Article By: Yai Dibba-Jallow

The criminal trial of one Pierre Jammeh, who was alleged to have stolen five solar panels, continued recently at the Brikama Magistrates' Court before Magistrate Bubacarr Secka.

Testifying as the prosecution's fourth witness, Ousman Touray, a resident of Mandinary village, told the court that on 19 May 2010, his watchman, Pa Ceesay, told him that the store room was open.

According to the witness, he also informed the accused person, and they both went to the store to check, and found that five solar panels and other items were missing.

He said the matter was reported to police at the New Yundum Police Station, who visited the scene and took some photographs.

"On 5th June 2010, I went to Manjai and saw one solar panel in front of a shop, and I went to the shopkeeper and asked him about the solar panel," he told the court.

The shopkeeper, he added, told him that it was brought there by one Mr. Njie, who was later called by the shopkeeper.

"Mr. Njie then came, and told me that the solar panel was given to him by the accused person," he stated.

Still testifying, Touray told the court that he called his boss, one Mike from UK, and informed that he has found the solar panels.

He said when Mike returned from the UK, he went to Mr. Njie and asked him how he got the solar panels, and Mr. Njie maintained that they were given to him by the accused person, Pierre Jammeh.

PW4 further added that all the five solar panels were later recovered, and Mike went back to the store. He said other items that were also missing were found with one Amadou Warry Jallow of Busura village, who told them that they were sold to him by the accused person.

The accused, he added, was subsequently arrested.

Hearing continues.