By Aisha Tamba & Oumie Bojang
Three marabouts were arraigned at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with conspiring to commit felony and defrauding one Modou Lamin Badjie a total sum of D700,000.
The trio Basiru Jallow, Sulayman Bah and Alkali Sallah pleaded not guilty to the charges before Magistrate Ebrima Colley.
Testifying before the court, the first accused Basiru Jallow said he was introduced to the complainant Modou Lamin Badjie by one Ebrima Cessay with four problems that he wanted spiritual guidance to solve.
Jallow told the court that the complainant had explained his problems as follows:1, he had an ongoing case at the Supreme Court about some visa issues; 2, he was at loggerheads with his father who chased him and his mother out of the compound; 3, he had to flee to Casamance because he had issues with former president Jammeh and 4, he wanted his father’s second wife to vacate the compound so that he and his mother can possess the compound.
According to police prosecutor Lamin Jammeh, Jallow had told the complainant that he could not solve all his four problems alone and that’s when he had to involve the two other marabouts, but the witness denied that, claiming he had told the complainant that he should buy kola-nuts and go with him to seek for forgiveness from his dad and his second wife to accept him and his mum back in the compound.
Jallow also denied taking the complainant Modou Lamin Badjie to some other spiritual places or other “marabouts and jinns”, for prayers as the police prosecutor claimed.
The witness further denied receiving 10,000 dollars from the complainant.
The case is adjourned to 20th January.
