By Nelson Manneh
Fourteen people were jointly arrainged at Bansang Magistrate Court before Magistrate Sainey Ndure and charged with Two Counts which include Arson, in Kerr Mot Ali Gambia in the Upper Saloum District of the CRR.
The accused persons are Omar John, Ali Ceesay (A), Abdou Mbye, Ali Secka, Ali Ceesay (B), Musa Mbye, Haddim Ceesay, Mod Talla Secka, Modou Habib Secka, Abdoulie Sowe, Batch Samba, Modou Habib Secka, Sheikh Sey and Mustapha Ceesay.
On Count One, all accused persons were charged for conspiracy to commit felony, contrary to Section 32 (a) of the Criminal Procedure Code Cap. 10., Volume 3, Laws of The Gambia.
According to the particulars of offence on this Count, all the accused persons sometime in the month of May 2022 in Kerr Mot Ali village in the Republic of the Gambia, in the Upper Saloum District of the Central River Region, conspired among themselves to commit felony by arson and thereby committed an offence.
On Count Two, the accused persons were jointly charged with arson contrary to Section 305 of the Criminal Procedure Code, sub-section 8 Cap. 10. Volume 3, Laws of the Gambia.
According to the particulars of this second offence, all the accused persons sometime in the month of May 2022 in Kerr Mot Hali village in the Republic of the Gambia in the Upper Saloum District of the Central River Region, willfully set fire and burned down the houses of Musa Secka, Lamin Sowe and Alagie Ousman Secka to ashes, thereby committed an offence.
All accused persons pleaded not guilty to both Counts.
At this juncture, the Prosecution demanded that the case be transferred to the Banjul High Court because arson is capital offence that cannot be determined by a Lower Court.
The accused persons were further remanded awaiting continuation of trial.
