The man, identified only as ‘CJ Bakary’ could avoid the jail term if he allows to take a simple DNA test to prove that he is indeed the biological parent of people he took to Spain.
However, he refused to take the DNA test telling the court he was a Muslim and his religion forbids him from taking such tests, leaving his fate in the hands of earthly judges of the provincial court of the city of Zaragoza. The prosecution said that showed that Mr Bakary had something to hide.
During the trial, Mr Bakary maintained his innocence, asserting that he had five children with his wife in The Gambia, he took two of the children to Spain. The Spanish authorities said they doubted Mr Bakary’s claims of biological relations with the children and his refusal for a paternity test renders his story spurious.
The representative of the prosecutor said people like the indicted Bakary “exploit” the Spanish legislation which is “supportive” of family reunions, along with the “lack of rigour in countries like The Gambia where official documents are obtained verbally with a lot of paperless birth. There you can get any kind of documentation, whether your child or not,” he lamented.
“When Bakary was getting Spanish nationality he did not register the children. Now they are all appearing. The children and defendants only said they are brothers of the same father and mother but that their mother died and therefore they wanted to come to Spain. Asked about the number of years between their births, they said they do not know the answer to that…”
The defence attorney for Mr Bakary and his “children”, Javier Elia, said his clients are not guilty. Meanwhile, the case is set for judgement and sentencing.
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