By Aisha Tamba
One Doliya Gomez was yesterday arraigned before the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing a two-year-old girl at Dippa Kunda. Charged with two counts, Ms. Gomez pleaded not guilty on count one (child stealing) but guilty on count two, exposing child to danger.
After her plea of guilt was recorded on count two the facts were read in the court before Magistrate Colley.
According to the police prosecutor Sgt A. Baldeh, the incident happened on the 19th of June 2022 at Dippa Kunda when Awa Jallow, the mother of the child lodged a complaint at the police that her two-year-old daughter was missing.
The policeman said the accused asked Awa Jallow to give her the child to buy her milk at the shop and disappeared with the child for three months.
“Since she gave her the child on the 18th of June she vanished and was only found by the police on the 7th of September. For three months the child was living with the accused while the police were looking for her.”
Sergeant Baldeh said the police also received evidence that the accused used to go out at night leaving the child at home. “The child was even sick and was not taken to the hospital because she feared that she will be caught by the police,” Sgt Baldeh said.
In her plea, Ms. Gomez told the court that “it was a mistake and it will never happen again” but insisted that she did not steal the child but was given the child by her mother Awa Jallow. At this juncture, Magistrate Colley asked the accused if that was the case why did Awa Jallow report to the police about the missing child.
The court convicted the accused on count two and would be sentenced on the next adjourned date when she will stand trial on another count.
