The Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice has filed three criminal charges against Ansumana Jarju, Abdoulie Jallow, and Alfusainey Ousainou Jobarteh, who are accused of robbing the United Vegetable Oil Company at Denton Bridge.
During the court proceedings, State Counsel I. Camara and F. Touray appeared for the prosecution, while Lawyer E. Sanneh represented the first accused, and Lawyer Famara Jammeh represented the second accused. The third accused was represented by the National Agency for Legal Aid (NALA), though his counsel was absent.
The accused face the following charges:
- Count One: Conspiracy to Commit a Felony: The state alleges that on December 31, 2024, the three defendants conspired to commit robbery at the United Vegetable Oil Company, in violation of Section 368 of the Criminal Code.
- Count Two: Robbery: The defendants are accused of robbing the company of D400,000 on the same date, with the victim identified as Sadivi Hauya, contrary to Section 273(2) of the Criminal Code.
- Count Three: Disabling to Commit a Felony or Misdemeanor—The prosecution alleges that the accused tied up and covered the mouth of security guard Sadivi Hauya to facilitate the robbery and their escape, in violation of Section 208 of the Criminal Code.
The prosecution has indicated that it will present five witnesses and seven exhibits to support the case.
State Counsel I. Camara informed the court that an indictment has been filed and requested an adjournment to determine whether to proceed with charges against all three accused or to withdraw charges against Omar Secka, a taxi driver allegedly linked to the case.
Defense counsels for the first and second accused did not object to the adjournment but requested that the matter be handled without unnecessary delays. However, Counsel Jammeh raised concerns about his client facing discriminatory treatment at Mile Two Central Prison and sought the court’s intervention to uphold his fundamental rights.
Presiding Judge Justice Cham advised Counsel Jammeh to first engage with the prison authorities and seek Counsel Sanneh’s input on the matter. He further emphasized that if the issue persists, the court would issue an order to ensure that the accused persons’ rights are upheld, reminding all parties of the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
The case has been adjourned to April 10, 2025, at 10:00 AM for plea-taking and to decide on the possible inclusion of a fourth suspect in the robbery case.