The
criminal trial involving the state against one Lamin Jaiteh resumed yesterday
before presiding Justice O. Ottaba of the High Court in Banjul.
The
accused is being tried for acting as an intermediary for the purpose of human
trafficking.
The
particulars of offence stated that the accused between August and December 2015
in Serekunda and diverse places in The Gambia, acted as an agent of “Mona Sabah
Tahir Manpower Services”, a recruitment agency in Kuwait by recruiting over
three (3) people to travel to Kuwait for the purposes of exploitation, and
thereby committed an offence.
The
matter was scheduled for cross-examination of the first prosecution witness,
who was said to be indisposed.
The
prosecution, led by state counsel A. Mendy, interposed the second prosecution
witness, who then gave evidence-in-chief.
In
her testimony, the second prosecution witness (name withheld) told the court
that she is a nurse attendant who resides at Sanchaba Touba, and knew the
accused.
The
witness said she became interested in travelling to Kuwait after she learnt
that her friend was assisted by the accused, and was taken to Bakoteh Junction
Ba where she met the accused sitting with his friends.
After
her formal introduction to the accused, she asked the accused whether he was
the man taking young girls to Kuwait, and he replied in the affirmative.
She
told the accused that she was interested, and the accused informed her that she
should get the necessary documents, like an international passport, medical
certificate, and certificate of character, among others.
PW2
added that the accused explained that she needed to undergo an HIV/Aids test in
order to get the medical certificate, and that after she acquired the said
documents the accused asked her to go and conduct a vaginal test.
It
was at this juncture that she asked the accused that since they were going for
a job in Kuwait, whether there was any need to conduct a vaginal test.
She
further told the court that the accused later asked her to skip the vaginal
test, informed her about the departure date, and gave her an air ticket and a
paper she should take to a specific bank upon her arrival in Kuwait.
The
witness said her passport was not having a visa, and that the accused advised
her to put all her documents inside her handbag, except her passport which he
instructed her to hold in her hand.
“We
are Gambians, we do not wish peace for each other and if they happen to see the
other papers they would know that she was going to travel,” the witness said
the accused admonished her.
She
further informed the court that she was with the accused and other girls going
to Kuwait, and that after their final preparations, the accused informed them that
they should not go in groups, to avoid people having any suspicion.
The
witness told the court that the accused also informed them that each of them
should pay the sum of D2,000.
This
money, the witness said the accused explained, was meant for the police at the
international airport in Dakar, so as to facilitate their exit.
Hearing
continues.
