By Kemeseng Sanneh (Kexx)
Principal Magistrate Sallah Mbye has remanded the alleged murderer of HM Bureau Exchange staff.
Police prosecutor Superintendent Jammeh appeared for the Inspector General of Police and led the prosecution team againstMr Tine, a 36-year-old Senegalese male,for the murder of Fatoumatta Kagbo, a staff of HM Bureau Exchange.
When asked which language he wanted to speak in Court, the accused person opted to speak in Wollof.
According to his charge sheet, Arona Tine is charged with murder contrary to Section 187 of the Criminal Code (CPC) and punishable under Section 188 of the CPC. The prosecution alleged that on January 19, 2024 at HM Bureau Exchange in Westfield in Kanifing Municipality, Arona Tine, with malice aforethought, caused the death of Fatoumata Kagbo, a staff of HM Bureau Exchange by stabbing her in the chest with a knife.
After the charge sheet was read and interpreted to the accused person in Wollof, Superintendent Jammeh informed the court that if found guilty, the accused (Arona Tine) can face life imprisonment or death, for the crime he has allegdly committed. He then applied for the case to be transferred to the High Court and for the accused person to be remanded in custody.
“We are applying under Section 62 of the Criminal Procedure Code for the matter to be transferred to the special criminal court, and also under Section 208A, for the accused to be remanded at the Mile 2 central prisons,” stated Jammeh.
The accused person did not go against the transfer of the case to the High Court, but informed the Court that he was only informed of his arraignment that morning and wished to have a lawyer.
In her ruling, Principal Magistrate Mbye said after considering the prosecution’s application and examining the law, she agreed that the court did not have jurisdiction to hear the case.
As a result, she ordered the transfer of the case to the special criminal court and then ordered for the accused person to be remanded at the state’s central prison at Mile 2, pending the hearing of the case at the High Court.
