By Mamadou Dem
Principal Magistrate Omar Cham of the lower court in Banjul, yesterday 1st August, 2016, ordered Tina Faal, erstwhile nominated National Assembly Member (NAM), to enter her plea on count 3, the charge of theft, which he found not to be defective.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye, counsel for the former NAM, had earlier objected for the accused to enter her plea on the said count on the grounds that the charge is defective, while the prosecution maintained that the charge was proper under the laws of The Gambia.
In his ruling, the trial magistrate upheld the prosecution’s submission and ordered the accused to answer her plea to count three and to which she eventually pleaded not guilty as charged.
Police Prosecutor, Sarja Sanyang, at this juncture applied for an adjournment to enable him present witnesses at the next adjourned date. Consequently, the matter was adjourned to August 10 for hearing.
The former NAM is standing trial on three counts of Conspiracy, Obtaining goods by false pretence and theft.
On count one, the particulars of offence alleges that the accused sometimes between the year 2014 and 2016 in Banjul and diverse places within the jurisdiction of the court with intent to defraud, conspired with one Babanding Sissoho to wit sold various parts of BOEING 727-234 SN 2216-55V TPA aircraft to one Alhagie Omar Keita being the property of O’ Corporation Company Ltd and thereby committed an offence
The particulars of offence for count two state that the said accused sometimes between the year 2014 and 2016 in Banjul and diverse places within the jurisdiction of the court with intent to defraud sold various parts of BOEING 727-234 SN 2216-55V TPA aircraft belonging to O’ Corporation Company Ltd of Ireland by Sheriff sale to one Alhagie Omar Keita when she fully knew or had reason to believe that the said flight was sold by the Sheriff of the Gambia by way of public auction.
It is further alleged by prosecutors on count three that sometimes between the year 2014 and 2016 in Banjul and diverse places within the jurisdiction of the court the accused with intent to permanently deprive through fraudulence, stole and sold various parts of BOEING 727-234 SN 2216-55V TPA aircraft belonging to O’ Corporation Company Ltd of Ireland by Sheriff sale to one Alhagie Omar Keita when she fully knew or had reason to believe that the said flight was bought by O’ Corporation Company from the Sheriff of the Gambia by way of public auction.
The accused however pleaded not guilty to all the three charges proffered against her.
She was released on bail in the sum of D500, 000 (five hundred thousand dalasis) with two Gambian sureties in the like sum deposit title deed within the Greater Banjul Area to the registry of the court and for the accused person to surrender her travel documents to the Registrar of the Court.
