Representing the Gambia Revenue Authority, Counsel Ousainou Suwaneh informed the court that the accused persons, who had no lawful authority to perform customs functions and/or collect revenue on behalf of the Authority, went around various shops and business premises within the Kanifing Municipal Area and other locations in September 2025, pretending to be GRA customs officers. The accused acted under the false pretense of conducting an enforcement exercise on goods without digital excise stamps and collected money from shop owners under the guise of “excise duties.”
Their activities came to light after reports from an affected trader prompted investigations by customs enforcement officers of the GRA in collaboration with the Police. The two were subsequently arrested, and several exhibits were recovered from them.
The accused persons were arraigned before H/W Marcel Thomasi and charged under two counts: assembling to contravene the Customs Act contrary to Section 234, and assuming the character of customs officers contrary to Section 238 of the Customs and Excise Act, 2010. The court found them guilty on both counts and ordered the accused persons to pay a fine, in default to serve a sentence of two years’ imprisonment.
