Witness testifies in vehicle clearing theft case

The criminal trial of one Muhammed Sam continued recently at the Kanifing Magistrates' Court, presided over by Magistrate Tabally.

The accused, Muhammed Sam, was alleged to have converted the sum of D57,000, being money meant for the clearing of three vehicles from the Gambia Ports Authority.

Testifying for the prosecution, Abou Sanyang told the court that in September 2009 when the complainant, Muhammed Njie came from Europe, he told him that he had come with vehicles he wanted to clear from the ports.

He adduced that Muhammed Njie again said to him that the said vehicles were to be cleared by the accused person.

 "When the accused visited us, the first prosecution witness, Muhammed Njie, invited him into his house and gave him D41,000, which was counted and confirmed by me and one of our friends," the witness revealed.

Further testifying, the prosecution witness narrated that after two weeks, the accused person came and demanded for D16,000, saying he supposed to make another payment, which was also given to him.

"I later put to the complainant that the accused should have shown him receipt for the clearance of the previous amount," he explained.

He said the complainant told him that the accused was part of their family as he was brought up by his biological mother.

"After one month, I went with PW1 to enquire about the vehicles. We called the accused but we could not reach him," the witness testified, adding that he and PW1 went to the ports to see the vehicles but they only saw one of the vehicles.

According him, they later came to find out that the other vehicles were collected by one Haddy Jack.

He told the court that the matter was reported to the serious crime unit and their statements were recorded.

The trial at that juncture was adjourned till 3 March 2011.