Alhagie Dicko, the alleged Fraudster in court
A man has been arraigned in court on charges of fraud, accused of deceiving a donor into providing large sums of money under the guise of supporting charitable projects.
Alhagie Dicko, 40, is alleged to have fraudulently obtained $170,000 from Ousainou Maharena between 2021 and 2024, claiming the funds would be used to support orphanage Arabic schools, gardening projects, and borehole drilling initiatives in various communities. According to the police, Dicko knew at the time that these promises were false.
At his arraignment in Banjul, Dicko pleaded guilty to the charge of obtaining money by false pretenses. The charge sheet was read to him in the Mandinka language, and he acknowledged the accusations.
Principal Magistrate Krubally accepted Dicko’s guilty plea but directed the prosecution to present the case’s facts. However, ASP Sarr, representing the Inspector General of Police, informed the court that the investigation is ongoing and the prosecution was not yet prepared to present a full account of the case.
“My lord, the accused spent almost a week in custody, compelling us to bring him before the court to uphold his rights.” Said ASP Sarr. “We will endeavour to present the facts at the next adjourned date.”
Magistrate Krubally, noting that the accused had pleaded guilty and that the brief facts were still pending, adjourned the case until April 7, 2025, at 11 a.m. for further proceedings, including the presentation of facts and potential further legal action. Dicko remains in custody until that time.