According to the statement of offence, the accused is charged with stealing by agent contrary to section 260(d) of the criminal code cap 10:01 volume III Reveal Laws of the Gambia 2009, which carries a seven-year term of imprisonment.
The particulars of offence indicated that Salimatou Gaye sometime between July and August at Kairaba Avenue in the Kanifing Municipality of The Gambia, acted as an agent for Pape Jagne and converted twenty-seven thousand five hundred euros (€27,500) equivalent to one million five hundred and sixty-seven thousand five hundred dalasis (D1,567,500) to her own personal use from one Amadou Nyang, thereby committed an offence.
The accused pleaded not guilty and was given a bail condition of 1.6 million dalasis or a landed property within the Kanifing Municipality which is equivalent to the said amount. The property should be verified by the bailee of the court.
According to the Police Special Investigation Unit, sometime in April 2021, Amadou Nyang and Pape Jagne went into a vehicle sale agreement of a Truck, Sprinter and Vario and agreed on a price tag of 27,500 Euros for the three vehicles.
- Gaye was the agent of Pape Jagne and the focal person who received money on behalf of the latter on the sale agreement.
The complainant, Amadou Nyang, paid the first instalment of Four Hundred and Seventy-two Thousand (D472,000) in May to Ms Gaye and made an additional seventeen thousand seven hundred dalasis (D17,700) in the same month.
The police continued their investigation that in June 2021, the complainant made another payment of five hundred and fifty-five thousand seven hundred and fifty dalasis (D555,750) to Ms Gaye and after receiving the said amount, Ms Gaye claimed to have remitted the above sum to Pape Jagne through local transfer. However, she claimed she could not provide proof of the transaction.
The investigation also revealed that the money was deposited in her account lodged at Eco-Bank and there were proofs of withdrawal of her deposit days after the money was lodged into her account.
According to the investigation, after the three-month agreement elapsed, the complainant contacted Pape on the status of the vehicles and the complainant said he was given “flimsy” excuses by Pape.
He further contacted the vendor (the company) connected to him by Pape and he was able to reach the manager, who informed him that Pape did not complete the payment for the vehicles, and he raised another five thousand Euros and sent it to the manager to complete the payment.
The complainant explained that he made the payment to the manager, and the shipment cost of two thousand five hundred Euros (€2,500) to Pape. He then told him that he had shipped the three vehicles (Truck, Sprinter and Vario) but there was no proof of that or any details of the shipment, the complainant added.
The case has been adjourned till 19 September.
