One Yahya Marong, who is facing charges for stealing, was brought before Magistrate BO Jobe of the Bundung Magistrates Court.

The accused, however, denied the charges pressed against him.
In his charge sheet, read by the magistrate, Yahya Marong, on or about 3rd September, 2008, at Kololi, allegedly stole a wallet containing the following items from a dwelling house: one wrist watch valued at €50; 3 silver rings, at €50; 3 gold rings, at €300; 2 gold plaited chains, at €600; and 2 pairs of earrings, valued at €200, all being the property of Zita Chinelo Dike.

Police Prosecutor Inspector Saine applied for an adjournment to allow him to call his witness, and his application was granted.

Before the adjournment of the case, however, the magistrate granted the accused a bail in the sum of D10,000 or a Gambian surety with the same amount.
The next sitting of the proceeding is on September 25.

In a similar development, one Pa Alagie Touray was also charged for stealing. According to the particular of offence, on or about July 20, in Kotu, the accused, being an employee of UTSCO as a bus conductor, stole the amount of D670, being the property of UTSCO.
But he has denied the charge, pleading not guilty.

The prosecutor, Corporal 438 Njie, then applied for an adjournment to enable him to call his witness.
The case was adjourned to September 26, while he was granted bail in the sum of D1,000, or a Gambian surety in the same amount.

Bakary Ceesay, a police officer attached to the Brikama Police Station, recently testified in the trial of one Alhagie Abdoulie Jallow who was accused of stealing a sheep.

Testifying, Officer Bakary Ceesay told the court that while on duty at the Brikama Police Station on 16th August 2008, he received a report that the accused had been spotted with a sheep. He said he boarded a police vehicle together with another police officer and upon spotting the accused, the accused ran into the bush. He said they chased him and was subsequently apprehended and taken to the police station and he made a statement to that effect.

Meanwhile the accused has been remanded in custody until the 12 September 2008.

The case was presided over by Magistrate Pa Harry Jammeh of the Brikama Magistrates’ Court.

The criminal case of theft involving Mr Ansumana Marena, otherwise called Julakay, has been deferred till September 1, as the presiding magistrate, Kayode Olajubutu, was said to be on leave. 

Magistrate Kayode, according to reports, has transferred most of the criminal cases before him to Magistrate Lamin George for continuation.

Ansumana Marena is accused of stealing, among other things,  D13 million, a motor vehicle L200 Mitsubishi with registration No BJL 4695 B, valued at D600,000, from Julakay Construction and Engineering Company Ltd;  and for making a false document contrary to Section 320 (A) of the Criminal Code; and uttering a false document, also contrary to laws of The Gambia.

Pa Alhagie Touray, an employee of UTSC transport company,recently appeared before Senior Magistrate Kumba Sillah-Camara of the Bundung Magistrates Court on a charge of theft by a public servant, contrary to Section 257, Laws of The Gambia.

According to the charge sheet, Pa Alhagie Touray, a conductor of the UTSC bus service along the Banjul-Brikama highway, stole the sum of D675 on July 27, 2008, being money collected from passengers without issuing them with tickets and which money was never surrendered to the company.

Pa Alhagie Touray will reappear before Senior Magistrate Kumba Sillah-Camara today.

Corporal 438 Njie stood in for the IGP.

How disappointing to read of the antics of Manlafi Sanyang. All too often now it seems people in positions of trust are abusing that trust for their own selfish gain. There are many people living in The Gambia who would dearly love a highly prized government job and all the security that comes with it but they simply do not have the option. In many cases there may be well qualified and perfectly trustworthy individuals out there who deserve the job more than those who abuse their power but that’s life and we must accept it. What we must not accept is corruption of any kind, at any level of government or the public service. These people are in their positions to serve the public and not their own selfish interests. Recent indicators from President Jammeh seem to suggest that he will no longer tolerate abuse and corruption of this kind. Let us hope that the problem has not become endemic in the system as if it has then it will be very difficult to weed out. Many people try to explain away theft from the public coffers as simply people who are trying to survive, like everybody else, topping up their meagre salaries from a flowing bowl of public money. What they are in fact doing is robbing their friends, family, neighbours and the taxpayer of funds that could be used to improve the lives of all Gambians. There is no such thing as a victimless crime. We must all work together in our workplaces and homes to ensure that anyone engaged in corrupt practice is found out and dealt with accordingly. This policy must be implemented to the very highest level of government so that everyone is aware that no matter who you are in The Gambia you are not above the law when it comes to corrupt practice. Cases like that of Manlafi Sanyang serve as a good example to those who may consider engaging in such practices, don’t do it.

“Our object in the establishment of the state is the happiness of the whole, and not that of any one class.”

Plato

Mr. Ansumana Marena, better known as Julakay, Managing Director of Julakay Construction and Engineering Company Limited, is entangled in yet another theft case at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.

Mr. Marena is being arraigned for allegedly stealing 88 pairs of toilet tanks, 50 pairs of wash hand basins, 74 pairs of wash hand stands, 57 pieces of sheet covers, 14 rolls of conduits, 9 cartons of fluorescent (4F), 50 pieces of wash hand basins, 50 complete sets of toilet seats and 51 pieces of other fittings, valued at D4.5 million, the property of Julakay Construction and Engineering Company Limited, a charge he denied.

Meanwhile he was offered a court bail on the deposition of D4, 500, 000.00 or the provision of two Ganbian sureties, one of whom must have a landed property of that value, the title deed of which is to be deposited with the Assistant Registrar.

Julakay is also involved in two theft cases at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court charged with various criminal offences.

In the first case he was charged for allegedly stealing the sum of D13, 587, 782.41, the property of Julakay Construction and Engineering Company Limited whilst in the second case he is being charged on three counts of stealing, making false documents and uttering false documents.

In that particular case he is being accused of having stolen a motor vehicle (L200, Mitsubishi) valued at D600, 000, also the property of Julakay Construction and Engineering Company Limited, and fraudulently presenting a false document dated 18th January 2008 to the Licensing Authority with the intention that it will be acted upon as genuine. He is also alleged to have made a document, dated 18th January 2006, and addressed to the Inspector General of Police which he knew to be false or does not believe to be true.

He denied both charges. He was granted court bail of D500, 000.00 in each case.

Asumana Marena is said to own 30% shares of Julakay Construction and Engineering Company Limited, whilst jailed former Majority Leader, Baba Jobe, owns 40%, Foday Lang Sarr 15% and 15% in the name of the Company.