Three out of the 10 sureties must have a landed property within KMC with a value not less than D7,000,000 each. The properties must be valued by a competent evaluator and file a certificate of the evaluation together with titled deeds with the registrar of the court. This followed an application made by the prosecuting officer, Sub-Inspector Jammeh, to file an amended charge sheet.
But the defence counsel, Sheriff Kumba Jobe, who represented the accused, objected to the application made by the prosecuting officer. He argued that there was nothing showing that the charge sheet was defective. “The application made by the prosecutor is not in line with Section 169 of the CPC, cited by the prosecutor. Filing two charge sheets is an abuse of process. We vehemently oppose the application and urge the court to dismiss it,” said the defence counsel.
Sub-Inspector Jammeh asserted that they were duty bound to amend the charge sheet by virtue of Section 169 of the CPC. “In fact the court observed that there were errors in the amount in words and figures. This makes it necessary to amend the charge sheet. We are amending the charge sheet by adding three more counts to make it a total of 30. We urge the court to grant us the application because the objection of the defence is misconceived,” he argued.
The presiding magistrate ruled that the application made by the prosecutor to amend the charge sheet would not cause prejudice to the accused. She ruled in favour of the prosecutor and granted the application to amend the charge sheet.
As a result, the amended charge sheet was read to the accused. It stated that the accused, Ousman Jallow stole 22 barrels of palm oil valued at D457,732, being the property of one Esaika Jallow. She was also alleged to have stolen 32 barrels of palm oil valued at D720,000, being the property of one Fatoumatta Jallow. The third count indicated that she stole D2,575,000 from one Lamin Bamako, and that the total value of materials she allegedly stole was D20,226,827 after the charge sheet was amended. She pleaded not guilty on the new three counts. She is now facing 30 counts. She was earlier arraigned and charged with 27 counts.
The previous charge sheet indicated that sometime in the month of September, 2023, at Serekunda, in the Kanifing Municipality of the Republic of The Gambia, she stole 20-liter gallons of palm oil valued at D50,000, being the property of one Abdourahman Sowe.
She was also alleged to have stolen150 bags of cassava valued at D421,480, being the property of one Aji Astou Jallow. Prosecutors further alleged that she stole 10 barrels of palm oil valued at D230,000, being the property of one Mamadou Sailou Jallow. According to the charge sheet, she stole 100 barrels of palm oil valued at D2,097,120, being the property of one Halimatou Jabbie.
Prosecutors further alleged that she stole 10 barrels of palm oil valued at D413,600, being the property of one Amadou Bah. She also faced another allegation of stealing 31 barrels of palm oil valued at D698,200, being the property of one Sheriffo Keita.
Mrs. Jallow was alleged to have stolen 160 barrels of palm oil valued at D2,718,360, being the property of one Fatoumatta Binta Jallow. It was also alleged that she stole 110 20-liter gallons of palm oil valued at D220,000, being the property of one Mariama Barry.
The court also learned that she allegedly stole 27 barrels of palm oil valued at D621,000, being the property of one Salimatou Bah.
The case was adjourned to the 18th of December, 2023, for the prosecutor to call his witnesses to shed light on the matter.
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