In his testimony, Officer Jallow told the court that he is attached at the Criminal Investigation Department Unit at Bakau New Town Police Station. He stated that on 19 July 2026, he received a compiled case file which was forwarded to the Charge Room and then to the CID unit.
He further told the court: “Going through the file, I communicated to the complainant, Sheikh Dicko, a shopkeeper at Mamakoto. He told me that the accused persons came to his shop and gave him a phone number for him to send them D2,000 through wave. He told them he could send them D1,500, which he did. I then asked him to give me the phone number through which he sent the money via wave. He gave it to me. I dialed it and the name which appeared on the screen was Assan Barrow. He responded and I told him that he was needed at Bakau New Town Police Station. He then rang off the phone. I checked my phone on WhatsApp and I saw Assan Barrow’s picture. An undisclosed informant saw the picture and told me that he knew Assan Barrow and he lives at Farokono. I went there and found his father and told him that his son was needed at the station. He then told me that Assan had just left and further said that Assan lives with his mother at Kunkujang Keitaya. He told me that he would tell Assan that he was needed at the station. The same undisclosed informant told me that these young boys are a gang who always gather at Bakau Lower Basic School and they were at the school at the time.” Because of the busy schedule of the court, the witness had to stop his testimony until 8 September 2026, to continue his evidence.
It would be recalled that there was pandemonium out of the courtroom after the accused, who were believed to be adults, were remanded. Two of their relatives protested, saying that the accused did not kill anybody. “This is just an allegation which is not true. You cannot remand them. They have not done anything. There is no law in the country. How can you send them to Mile 2? This is not fair,” one of their relatives angrily shouted.
There was pushing and pulling, as the relatives who were protesting were being pushed into the courtroom to be charged. “Do you think that here is your home? You think you can come here and behave anyway you like. You will be charged and sent to Mile 2 because of your behaviour. This will not be accepted,” the prosecuting officer, Inspector Cherno Baba Jallow, addressed them.
As the protesting relatives were being pushed into the courtroom to be charged, they pleaded for mercy, apologizing about their behaviour. “We are very sorry,” they said. Inspector Cherno Baba Jallow then allowed them to be released.
When the case was called on 22 July 2026, the defence counsel, Edrissa Sissoho, observed that the charge sheet was defective. “Your Worship, instead of charging the accused under the offence-creating section, they have been charged under the punishment section,” the defence counsel argued.
Inspector Cherno Baba Jallow, who quickly went through the charge sheet, conceded and told the court that there was a typographical error. “We are applying to amend the charge sheet. Your Worship, the problem is with the number. It should read as Section 147 instead of 148. Section 147 is the right section for the offence-creating section. We apologise,” the prosecuting officer stated.
His application to amend the charge sheet was granted by the court, although the defence counsel argued strongly, stating that the prosecution should come with a new charge sheet.
Counsel Sissoho also told the court that all the accused persons are minors, and that the court does not have the jurisdiction to hear the case. “Then you have to provide the court with their birth certificates to prove their ages,” the presiding magistrate told him. He agreed.
Prosecutors alleged that the accused persons on or about 19 July 2026, at Bakau, in the Kanifing Municipality of the Republic of The Gambia, robbed one Sheikh Dicko by forcefully taking away his mobile phone Mark Samson A14, valued at D8,000.
The two minors were subsequently granted bail in the sum of D100,000 with a Gambian surety each. They should attain the age of 30 or above and should surrender their ID cards to the registrar of the court. They should also swear to an affidavit of means.
The remaining four were also granted bail on the same conditions on 12 August 2026.
