Blood brother and sister Haddijatou Jobe and Dawda Jobe on Tuesday denied conspiring to kidnap a 21-year-old photographer, lure her to a rented house in Old Yundum and lock her up, before allegedly robbing her of her iPhone and withdrawing cash from her mobile money account.
The two pleaded not guilty to four counts, conspiracy to commit a felony, robbery, stealing and kidnapping or abducting with intent to confine a person, after Justice Ebrima Jaiteh read the amended information to them at the High Court on 10 November 2026.
The State alleges that the offences were committed in July 2026 at Coastal Road, Old Yundum in the West Coast Region.
The first count is conspiracy to commit a felony, contrary to Section 341(a) of the Criminal Offences Act 2025. Prosecutors alleged that sometime in July 2026, at Coastal Road/Old Yundum, the two conspired between themselves to commit a felony.
The second count is robbery, contrary to Section 248(2)(a), (b) and (c) of the Act. Prosecutors alleged that on 22 July 2026, at Old Yundum, the accused, armed with a hammer, a rope and a screwdriver, robbed Aisha Jabbi of her iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The third count is stealing, contrary to Section 226 of the Act. Prosecutors alleged that on 22 July 2026, at Freetown Junction, the accused withdrew GMD21,950 from the Wave mobile money account of Aisha Jabbi.
The fourth and most serious count is kidnapping or abducting with intent to confine a person, contrary to Section 207 of the Act. The prosecution alleged that sometime in July 2026, at Coastal Road and diverse places in the West Coast Region, the accused abducted Aisha Jabbi, lured her to a rented house in Old Yundum and locked her up.
According to the prosecution’s summary of evidence, Aisha Jabbi, a 21-year-old photographer, will testify that she was lured to a house on Coastal Road in Old Yundum on 22 July 2026 for a photoshoot session.
She is expected to tell the court that she was restrained and threatened by a woman and a masked man armed with a hammer and screwdriver. She will further state that the assailants stole her iPhone 14 Pro Max, valued at GMD45,000, and forced her to reset her Wave PIN, allowing them to withdraw GMD21,000.
She will also state that she escaped after being locked in a bathroom, received assistance, and reported the incident to the police that evening.
The prosecution will also call Bakary Touray, who is expected to testify that on 22 July 2026, his sister sent him to Coastal Road to show a house to a woman. He said after she inspected the house and paid D1,000 rent to his sister, he left the keys with a woman in the compound and returned home.
Later that evening, he allegedly learned that another woman was locked inside the same house. They opened the door and found her crying. He will tell the court she was not the woman to whom he had given the keys.
Isatou Touray, a 30-year-old housewife from Sanchaba Sulay Jobe, will testify that an unknown woman contacted her about renting her uncle’s Coastal Road house for one week. After arranging an inspection through her brother Bakary, she later learned that someone had been locked inside the house.
Yusupha Touray, a businessman, will testify that he communicated with Aisha Jabbi on 22 July 2026, received her call when she was unable to unlock her phone, and heard an unidentified voice before the call disconnected. He said he met her at the place, took her to Old Yundum Police Station, accompanied officers to the scene, and provided a statement.
The final prosecution witness listed is Biran Sambou, a mobile-phone dealer from Old Yundum. He will testify that Haddijatou Jobe allegedly came to him and exchanged an iPhone 14 Pro Max for an iPhone 12 Pro Max plus D7,000, claiming ownership. She allegedly told him she needed money to travel to Senegal.
She later returned the iPhone 12 Pro Max for repairs but never collected it. On 27 September 2026, police brought her to his shop regarding the transaction.
The prosecution also lists exhibits it intends to tender, including witness statements, cautionary and voluntary statements of the accused, one black and yellow hammer handle, one brown jumper shirt with the Jordan Air trademark, an iPhone XR and an iPhone 12 Pro.
Both accused persons have denied all the charges. The case will proceed to trial.
