Police nabs three for armed robbery

The Gambia Police has arrested three people: Abdoulie Bah of Kerr Tubai Village in Lower Niumi, Abdoulie Jeng of Kalagi village in Foni Jarrol and Pa Sakumba Bob of Barra for armed robbery. A fourth suspect, Babucarr Sey, a Senegalese national was at large.

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday at the Barra Police station, the officer commanding North Bank Region Assistant Superintendent Matarr Joof informed pressmen that the suspects were arrested on Saturday July 24, 2010 by a special police task force in Barra, North Bank Region.

According to him, the Police effected the arrests after a tip off by members of the public that some men armed with heavy weapons such as machetes, knives, chisels, multipurpose hammer that can be used for different purposes, and jujus, were in the region breaking shops both in the Gambia and Senegal. He said the police then mounted an investigation and arrested the said culprits in the region.

He said it was two months ago when they have received series of reports by the resident of North Bank Region indicating that some armed robbers were within the region breaking shops and some residences.

According to him, after their intensive investigation with the support of the general public they went to search the residence of the said gang leader Mr. Abdoulie Bah after which they have found some stolen items including dozens of plastic chairs, 5 sets of television, radio cassettes players, stabilizers, 2 computer laptops, 2 Gas cookers, 3 mattresses, motor bike that they use to transport the stolen items, washing machine, basins, speakers, and some cosmetic items which were said to be stolen from Karang, a border village between Gambia and Senegal in collaboration with the Senegalese Gendarmeries.

Speaking further, he said the suspects were arrested in the Gambia and were later taken to the resident of Abdoulie Bah’s wife in Karang through the support of the Senegalese Gendarmeries. He said the team also found some stolen items there. “We were informed that when they steal in the Gambia some of the items are normally taken to Senegal while the stolen items from Senegal are transported to the Gambia, and this was how we recover some stolen items,” Joof noted.

Inspector Ebrima Bah who led the task force team also noted that series of reports were made by the residents concerning the armed robbery which have seriously threatened the residents.

He described how he and his team with the support of the patriotic citizens have found the suspects’ base which they then raided late in the night, noting that the culprits capitalize on the darkness of the night between 2am and 3am when the electricity normally goes off to carry out their operations. “Thank God that we have found their location and we arrested them.”

Also speaking to journalists at the press conference in Barra, North Bank Region, the spokesperson of the Gambia Police Force Supt. Sulayman Secka explained that the said culprits would be charged for shop breaking and stealing, contrary to Sections 281 b and 252 of the Criminal Code.

“Shop breaking is 7 years imprisonment while stealing is 5 years and they could also be charged for burglary if at all the offences which they have committed happen in the night,” said the police spokesperson

Supt. Secka further called on the general public to always collaborate with the police and report such cases since the police could not be at everywhere but through such information, they could do their work more effectively and efficiently.