Prosecutors alleged that the accused persons on or about 23 July 2024, at Westfield and diverse places in the Kanifing Municipality of The Republic of The Gambia, willfully and unlawfully assaulted one Sub-Inspector Binta Taal on her hand and all over her body, causing her actual bodily harm.
The second accused, Lamin Ceesay, was alleged to have stolen a mobile phone Marked Redi valued at D6,500, being the property of Sub-Inspector Binta Taal.
Prosecutors also alleged that the accused intended to intimidate, annoy and threaten to kill Sub-Inspector Binta Taal. They pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors 4196 Saffie Bah and 5750 Bakary Jarra represented the IGP. At this juncture, Prosecutor Jarra told the court they were opposing bail for the accused persons. He stated that they were aware of the fact that Section 19 of the Constitution and Section 99 of the CPC avail bail to the accused persons but further asserted that bail is not absolute.
“It is based on the sound discretion of the court to either grant or deny bail,” Prosecutor Jarra argued. “Your Worship, we rely on the State versus Albert Sambou 2002 unreported. Due to the nature of the offence, the accused persons assaulted a police officer while executing her duties. We oppose bail for the court to set precedence, as the crime rate is increasing in the country.”
The presiding magistrate subsequently granted the application and remanded the accused persons until 26 October 2024, for the prosecutors to call their witnesses.
