Mr. Jarju, who was testifying before principal Magistrate Isatou Sallah Mbaye of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court during cross examination, said: “The accused Mam Tut Wadda gave me a wrong identity. She claimed that her name was Amie Njie and that she was working with the U.S. Embassy in Banjul. In fact, she told me that she is next to the consul.”
The accused is facing charges of obtaining money by false pretense contrary to Section 288 of the Criminal Code cap 10:01 Volume 3 Laws of The Gambia 2009.
“I got a call from one of my friends in the person of Muhammed Keita. Keita told me that the accused person claimed to have a visa package to Europe and that there was only one place remaining, thus I should go for it,” PW1 testified.
“While speaking with the accused person on the phone, she introduced herself to me as one Amie. Again, when I met her (Mam Tut Wadda) at her compound gate at Pipeline where I made a deposit of D20, 000, she told me that she was working with the U.S. Embassy in Banjul,” PW1 further told the court.
“I told the accused that I am not much interested about visa applications issues due to the fact that there are lots of irregularities that are involved in the entire process,” he claimed, adding “this was the time the accused person interjected and asked whether a lady of her type could be a scammer. I told the accused person to give me her bank details so that I could deposit the money through her bank account which could serve as evidence in future. However, the accused told me that she didn’t have Gambian bank accounts as she is currently based in the United States of America and that it was only the issue of the visas that brought her to the country.”
“I therefore handed over the money to the accused with a view for her to proceed with the visa transaction. The accused promised me that in a month's time, I would go with the accused person at the U.S. Embassy to meet the consul and do other necessary things so that the visa would be issued.”
He further explained that during one fateful day, while sitting with the accused person, one of his (PW1) friends told him that the person I was sitting with was a scammer and that the accused person was dragged to court by Bright Star Entertainment, but the accused categorically denied that claim.
“I also decided to search the internet and later saw some videos where the accused was taken to custody. I later realised that what my friend told me was the truth.”
Since that day, the accused was out of reach, the told the court.
When he eventually got her on phone, she promised that she would pay the money but she never did.
Meanwhile, during cross examination, the accused denied receiving money from PW1, and that she never claimed to be a staff at the U.S. Embassy.
“I didn’t receive money from him; in fact, I was in a relationship with him.”
PW1 responded by saying: “I have never been in a relationship with the accused person. When I am doing business, I have no time for relationships,” he told the court.
The case has been adjourned to today.
