One Munina Dicko
has pleaded “guilty” to the charge, in the alleged marabout fraud case, which
is before magistrate Tabally at the Kanifing magistrates’ court.
Munina Dicko was earlier arraigned with one Abdou Bah, said to be the marabout, and charged with conspiracy to defraud and obtaining money by false pretence.
When she reappeared before the court on Tuesday, she pleaded guilty to the charges, and was consequently convicted.
Dicko was sentenced on count one to a fine of D10,000 in default to serve six months in prison.
On count two, she was fined D5,000 in default to serve three months in prison.
The court ordered her to pay the fines within 14 days.
The police prosecutor, ASP Mballow, told the court that the complainant, one Ebrima Touray, reported to Kairaba police station on 5 August 2014 that he had been defrauded of D1,559,652 by Abdou Bah, the first accused person.
This led to the arrest of the Bah on 6 August, and on 7 August Dicko was also arrested.
Dicko was interrogated, according to the prosecutor, and narrated that some time in May 2014, she was called by Abdou Bah to play the role of a jinn who is prepared to marry Touray, so as to obtain monies from Ebrima Touray.
Dicko agreed to pose as a jinn in the bush between Brikama and Gunjur, where she was dressed in white clothes and made to sit on a mat waiting for Touray.
Touray arrived, sat on the mat and had a brief chat with Dicko and gave her D30,000 before he left.
Their next meeting was at Pokoloco beach, when Dicko was to be formally given to Touray by her family of jinns.
She was later told in a telephone call, to call Touray, which she did.
Dicko was given a reward of D3,000 and D1,500 for her role play, the court heard.
When she was cautioned and charged by the police, she surrendered the D34,500 she received, the prosecutor added.
The charge sheet in count one read that Abdou Bah, Munina Dicko, and Muhammed Bah (who is at large), between May and August 2014 in Fajara and diverse places in the Kanifing Municipality, jointly conspired to defraud one Ebrima Touray of D1,559,642.
In count two, they jointly, with intent to defraud, obtained D1,559,642 by claiming to help him to recover a million dalasi through marrying a jinn, which they knew to be false.
The case was adjourned to 8 September 2014, for continuation of the hearing relating to the other accused person.
