Magistrate Isatou Jallow of the Bundung Magistrates’ Court has transferred an alleged robbery with violence case involving Ousman Ceesay and 6 others to the High Court Special Criminal Division as the Magistrates’ Court lacks Jurisdiction to hear the case.
Police ASP O Boob who appeared for the IGP, told the Court that the accused persons are charged with Capital Offenses such as robbery with violence which attracts life in prison if found guilty, therefore she applied for the matter to be transferred to the Special Criminal Division of the High Court as per section 62 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) with legal notice number 2,2003.
She also applied for the accused persons to be remanded at the Mile 2 Central Prisons pending the hearing of their trial as per section 208 A of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
Magistrate Isatou Jallow in her ruling, ruled that since the Magistrate lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter due to the fact that it attracts life in prison, she has transferred the matter to Special Criminal Division of the High Court as the accused persons should be remanded at the Mile 2 Central Prison pending the hearing of the case.
This ruling had been interpreted to 7 accused persons in the languages they understand which is Mandinka and Wolof.
The 7 accused persons namely, Ousman Ceesay, Assan Sowe, Sheriff Dibba, Ebrima Bah, Ousman Fatajo, Ida Faal and Muhammed Sowe have been charged with Robbery with Violence Contrary to Section 273(2) of the Criminal Code Cap 10:01 Vol: III Revised Edition 2009 Laws of The Gambia.
As the Particulars of Offense reads that Ousman Ceesay, Assan Sowe, Sheriff Dibba, Ebrima Bah, Ousman Fatajo, Ida Faal and Muhammed Sowe on the 25th day of July 2024 at Brufut Heights around 03:00am to 04:00am, West Coast Region of the Republic of The Gambia, with violence forcefully robbed ABDUL LAMIN and MBAKEY SOWE with cutlasses, knife and long gun which resulted to the serious stabbing of Mr MORRO CEESAY on his left rib and stole the following, a cash amount of D30,000, 1 black Solar Panel valued at D1000, 2 watches cartis second class valued at $40 equivalent to D2,800, 1 seiko watch valued at $40 equivalent to D2,800, 1 techno spark 5 pro mobile phone valued at D5,000 and 1 knife value unknown, clothes value unknown which amounted to a total of D41,600 being the properties of Abdul Lamin of Brufut Heights, thereby committed an offence.
These were the same individuals that were arrested by the Anti Crime Unit (ACU) Patrol team.
