By Mamadou Dem The National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP) has levelled four criminal counts against one Ali Fneiche for trafficking in persons contrary to section 28 and punishable under section 28 (4) of the Trafficking in Persons Act, Revised Laws of The Gambia 2009. The case was mentioned at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court presided over by Magistrate Samsideen Conteh. However, the principal suspect and first accused in this case together with one Sulayman Bojang and AlasanJ allow who are charged with a single count of “Acting as intermediary for the purpose of Human Trafficking” were said to be at large. According to the particulars of offence on count one, the first accused Ali Fneiche between January and December 2014 in Banjul and diverse places within the jurisdiction of the court recruited 19 Gambian girls to Lebanon for the purpose of exploitation and thereby committed an offence. On the particulars of offence on count two, the prosecution alleged that the same accused person between the same months and year in Banjul and diverse places within the jurisdiction of the court transported 19 Gambian girls to Lebanon for the purpose of exploitation and thereby committed an offence. The particulars of offence on the third count reveals that the same accused between the same period in Banjul and diverse places within the jurisdiction of the court received 19 Gambian girls to Lebanon for the purpose of exploitation and thereby committed an offence. According to the fourth count, the said accused person within the same period in Banjul and diverse places within the jurisdiction of the court transferred 19 Gambian girls to Lebanon for the purpose of exploitation and thereby committed an offence. The particulars of offence on the fifth count states that Sulayman Bojang, MomodouBojang and Alasan Jallow between January and December 2014 in Banjul and diverse places within the jurisdiction of the court acted as intermediaries for the purpose of human trafficking by participating in the recruitment of some Gambian girls to Lebanon for the purpose of exploitation and thereby committed an offence. When the matter was called, only the second accused, MomodouBojang was in court while his co-accused persons were said to be at large. State counsel Mansour Jobe submitted that since the whereabouts of the other accused persons are unknown, “We are humbly applying for this court to issue an arrest warrant for the 1st, 3rd and 4th accused persons respectively.” According to counsel Jobe, the issuance of the said warrant will enable the police to locate them wherever they may be and bring them to face the charges levelled against them. He finally urged the court to grant the application. With regards to the 2nd accused person, Momodou Bojang who was present in court, the prosecution submitted that the second accused was reporting regularly to the police station and therefore they would not oppose bail. He however urged the court to be guided by the magnitude of the charge meted against him. The trial Magistrate granted the application made by the prosecution and ordered that the court would issue an arrest warrant against the trio and release the 2nd accused on bail in the sum of D250,000.00 (Two-hundred and Fifty Thousand Dalasis) and ordered him to produce a Gambian surety who must swear to an affidavit of means and deposit a title deed valued at the said sum. He further ordered the 2nd accused to be reporting on bail at Banjul Station every Monday. Consequently, the matter was adjourned pending the arrest and subsequent appearance of those at large.]]>
