By Kemeseng Sanneh (Kexx)
Principal Magistrate Muhammed Krubally of the Banjul Magistrate’s Court has granted bail to one Modou Lamin Baldeh standing trial for stealing the sum of Twelve Million Dalasi (D12,000,000).
He was charged with stealing contrary to section 252 of the Criminal Code. The Police arraigned Modou Lamin Baldeh for allegedly stealing five (5) 20-feet containers of ceramic wall tiles valued at Seventeen Thousand and Five Hundred Dollars ($17,500) equivalent to Twelve Million and Seventy-Five Thousand Dalasi (D12,075,000) belonging to Mam Begay S. Jagne.
Commissioner Abdoulie Sanneh and Assistant Commissioner Almameh Manga appeared for the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
The police prosecutors alleged that between April and June 2024, in Banjul, Modou Lamin Baldeh stole five 20 feet containers of ceramic wall tiles bearing the following details; 5 by 20 FSCU3634060/20 24 PACKAGE, 5 by 20 MEDU1395905/20 23 PACKAGE, MEDU2604614/20 24 PACKAGE, MEDU2958259/20 25 PACKAGE and MSDU1927245/20 24 PACKAGE belonging to Mam Begay S Jagne. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecution sought an adjournment to call their first witness as they appealed to the court to grant the application. The first witness will be the complainant. The prosecution asked the court to fix the date to today to enable their first witness to testify since she will return to the United States on 28 August. The prosecution indicated that they would not object to bail.
In his ruling, Principal Magistrate Krubally said the court is conscious of the fact that the offence with which the accused is charged is a bailable one and the court is equally conscious of the fact that the prosecution did not object to the grant of bail to the accused.
“I hereby exercise my statutory, judicial, and judicious discretion and admit the accused bail in the sum of twelve million and seventy-five thousand dalasi,” Magistrate Krubally ruled.
Magistrate Krubally further ordered the accused to provide the court with a land lease document whose current market value, if sold, should not be less than the bail amount. Additionally, the accused must provide two reliable Gambian sureties who must furnish their valid contact information, addresses, and original valid ID cards to the office of the registrar. The sureties must swear an affidavit affirming that they will ensure the accused’s presence at all subsequent court proceedings on the specified dates and times. Furthermore, they must declare that if the accused absconds from the jurisdiction or fails to appear in court, they will forfeit the bail sum to the state.
The case was adjourned to today at 9:30.
