The police at Kotu police station have nabbed a 24-year-old woman and resident of New Jeshwang for allegedly stealing from her British employer's shop and setting the shop alight at the Kairaba Beach Hotel in the Senegambia area.
Manjiki Sambou, shop manager at Golden Touch Shop at the Kairaba Beach Hotel, was arrested after she allegedly set alight the shop, containing gold, silver and diamond jewelries, watches among other items, last Thursday night.
According to the complainant, Deryn Fox, a British national residing in The Gambia, the total cost of damaged properties stands at over two million dalasis.
Speaking to journalists yesterday, police public relations officer ASP Yerro Mballow said the incident happened on Thursday 14th April when a telephone message from Kairaba Beach Hotel was received by Kotu police that there is fire outbreak in one of the shops.
"The police visited the scene and, upon arrival, they met the fire was under control by the fire and rescue service," he said, adding that the shop was managed by the accused person.
Mballow revealed that during investigations, the accused was arrested and later confessed to stealing an amount of D105,000 cash and some jewelleries worth D40,000 and said she gave it to one Fatou Gaye, a friend, for safekeeping until the following day, so that she can deposit it at the bank.
"Fatou Gaye was arrested and an amount of D105,000, eight necklaces, a pair of ear rings, and three bracelets recovered.
Investigations also revealed that around 10:00 pm, the accused closed from work and decided to take the above-mentioned items and amount for her personal use, and lit a candle, which she placed on the wooden drawers and lock all doors leaving the candle burning inside," Mballow added.
He told journalists that the suspect has been charged with stealing and arson.
