By Amadou Jadama
Magistrate Baldeh of the Brusubi court on Wednesday sentenced Alpha Jallow (alias Collins Nwoke), a Nigerian, to a fine of D100,000 in default to serve six years imprisonment for being in possession of forged bank notes.
Jallow was arrested on April 14 at Old Yundum with forged 56,314,000 CFA francs in ten thousand, five thousand and two thousand denominations and US$24,450 in fifty and hundred denominations. He appeared in court unrepresented by a lawyer and owned up to his crime.
Lead police prosecutor, Deputy Commissioner Malang Jarju, explained to the court that on 25th February, 2025, a Mr Sillah, who runs a foreign exchange bureau in Bakau Mamakoto reported to the Bakau police that an unknown person exchanged forged bank notes amounting to 500 euros at his bureau.
He said on 11th April, one Cherno Bah also visited the bureau in a bid to exchange US$300 in forged notes, and upon realising that the teller found him out, tried to flee but was apprehended and later taken to the Bakau Police Station where US$700 in forged notes were found on him.
DC Jarju added: “The police mounted an investigation to find out where he obtained the monies. He told the investigators he got the monies from one Alpha Jallow alias Collins Nwoke at Old Yundum. During the caused of investigation, a searched conducted at the accused’s resident at Old Yundum, the police found 56,314 CFA and 24,450 US Dollars suspected to be fake Bank notes. The monies were sent to the Central Bank of the Gambia for examinations and it was confirmed that the denominations and their serial numbers were fake and therefore the accused was charged.”
After his plea of guilt, Jallow begged the court to temper justice with mercy, saying lamely: “It has already happened. One of my friends did this to me. He gave it [the forged notes] to me for safekeeping.”
Meanwhile, Cherno Bah has also been arraigned before Magistrate Isatou Nahra of the same court charged with a single count of purchasing forged banknotes.
The case was adjourned to 5th May.
