By Mustapha Jallow
The lone armed robber who raided the Jah Oil Petrol station in Brikama on Monday 9th April 2018 and making off with millions, is still at large.
Astou Ceesay, the Manager of the petrol station, said the lone armed robber is still at large and joint security investigators are high on his heels. Astou narrated to this reporter that the man had a bag and wore dark-glasses; that he arrived at the petrol station at around 10:00 am while she was with the cashier, counting the cash.
She explained: ‘‘He entered and closed the door and then he opened his bag and pull-out an AK47 rifle, threatening us to put the money inside his bag or else. Before saying a word, he fired a bullet on the wall. We have no other option but to put the money in his bag. He spoke in English. He went with different kinds of currencies such as D8, 7016; FCA 20, 000 and another FCA 8,500; including some Euros. The money taken away is about D2million. There was an extra amount saved in a box, which I didn’t know the figure,’’ she said.
According to the manager, the armed man told her that they were three in number and the others were waiting around the petrol station in a taxi.
‘‘What surprised me is that he knew my name and called me, saying if I want to live long, I shouldn’t scream or he will shoot me. He took my brother’s smart-phone that was being plugged in to charge,’’ she said.
Scared to death of being killed, Ceesay explained they later saw the man on his motorbike but it refused to light; that this was the time they started shouting and calling him thief; that residents and workers within the area came out to chase him but he fired live bullets in the air, to scare them away.
She said: ‘‘He was stoned by the crowd and he fell. But suddenly, a speedy taxi arrived and picked him up and they made their escape. We reported the matter to Brikama police station. Both the Military and Police visited the scene. The information we’ve gathered for now is that security officers are searching for him in the bush. This attack really affects us and our customers because some people are still panicked by events.’’
Astou however called on the authorities to develop the security system within the country for the safety of all Gambians. ‘‘For an armed gunman to operate and attack a business entity in broad daylight and run away with millions without being caught up to now, in this country, is really scary,’’ she said.
