By Louise Jobe
The police have amended the charge sheet involving one Alhagie Jobe, a land dealer in Farato by lowering the charge from assault causing grievous bodily harm to assault causing actual bodily harm.
Police prosecutor Kemo Y. Manneh informed the Brikama Magistrate’s Court that the medical report indicated that the injury the complainant, Momodou Kanteh sustained was not too serious.
According to the particulars of the offence, Alhagie Jobe on or about the 1st June 2020 at Farato Village in West coast Region unlawfully assaulted one Momodou Kanteh by cutting him with a cutlass on his right hand causing him injury
Jobe pleaded not guilty to the new charge and a plea of not guilty was entered for him.
Edrissa Trawelly, the second prosecution witness narrated that on 1st June 2020, he went to Farato with a policeman to show him his plot of land and upon their arrival the accused person, Alhagie Jobe came to them and began raining insults on them.
The witness said one Mr Camara pleaded with Jobe to stop the insults and to refrain from violence but he never stopped.
Trawally said Jobe was with a group of armed men who were had sticks and stones. The witness added the accused person sent for his cutlass which was brought to him.
Witness Trawally said after Jobe got his cutlass, he aimed to hurt Mr Camara with it but he (the witness) held Jobe’s hand and they both fell on the ground. The witness adduced that after they rose from the ground; Jobe used his cutlass and cut the victim and complainant, Momodou Kanteh. He said the matter was reported to the Farato Police Station and Jobe was arrested.
During the cross-examination by the accused Lawyer Omar Jallow, the witness testified that the land in question belongs to one Sam, the owner of a Manor Real Estate Company. The witness added that the land was given to the police CID man by the owner of the estate.
Ha also said that he did not know the border between Farato and Bojang Kunda, but insisted that the land Jobe found them was between Farato and Bojang Kunda.
He maintained that Jobe aimed to wound the complainant and that is why when he got up from the ground, he executed his plan.
The matter was adjourned by the trial Magistrate P. Sowe to Thursday, 10th September 2020.
Victim of Rape Says Her Tormentor was Filming Her While Engaging Her Sexually
By Yankuba Jallow
A victim of rape and robbery on Wednesday, 22nd July 2020 testified before the Banjul High about her victimisation by one Ismaila Ndong, an alleged serial rapist.
Ndong is facing charges of rape, robbery and robbery with violence contrary to the laws of The Gambia and he has denied wrongdoing. He is accused of intentionally and under coercive circumstance engaged several women in sexual activities. He is also accused of taking properties from some of the women he used to carry on town-trips. The properties that the accused person allegedly took included Samsung and iPhone mobiles, money and other valuables.
The victim whose name is withheld testified before Justice Francis Apangabuno Achibonga on Wednesday following her Tuesday’s incomplete testimony.
The witness testified that the accused person, Ismaila Ndong took her on a town-trip but in turn engaged her in a sexual act against her will. She said Ndong was with a boy who he (Ndong) asked to remove her clothes, adding the boy unzipped her shirt and pushed it down. The sixth prosecution witness explained that after this, the boy began pressing her breasts while he was filming her actions.
She said the boy searched her looking for gold and silver necklaces.
“That was the time he took off my trouser and put his hands in my pussy. He began romancing me by putting one of his fingers inside my pussy (private part),” she said.
She added: “While he was doing that, he was taking a video of it. He told me any mistakes I make he will push the video in the internet and expose me.”
She told the Court after the process, she was asked to go home straight adding she was warned not to go to the police by her tormentors.
She testified that the process lasted for more than forty-five minutes.
“Where was Ismaila Ndong while this was happening?” asked Lawyer Kimbeng Tah for the State.
She said Ndong was there and was requesting her to call her family to send them money. She detailed that when she informed them that her father was late and her mother was a market vendor, the other boy slapped her and asked her to remember their warnings to her.
She said the other boy threatened to stab her if she turns back while she was going, adding while she was going, the boy moved backward and got into the taxi and they drove away.
She said when she reached home, her sister took her to the Kairaba Police Station where she gave her statement. She said she found two other victims with the same complaint and they were all taken to the crime scene by the police.
She will continue with her evidence in chief on the 5th August 2020 at 11 am.
