Fresh consolidated charges of criminal offences have been slammed on Supt Manlafi Sanyang, the former head of Vehicles Control Unit at the State House, Lt Bakary Camara, and Dominico Fedeli, an Italian national.

The charges ranged from conspiracy, stealing, and giving false information to public officer.

Counts 1 (conspiracy) and 2 (theft) are applicable on all the three accused persons while counts 3 and 4 (regarding giving false information) are applicable on only Lt Bakary Camara.

According to the prosecution, Supt Manlafi Sanyang, Lt Bakary Camara and Dominico Fedeli on or about 10th January, 2008, in the city of Banjul, Republic of The Gambia, conspired to commit a felony.

Count 2 stated that ASP Manlafi Sanyang, Lt Bakary Camara and Dominico Fedeli on 10th January, 2008, in Banjul in the Republic of The Gambia, stole Sangyong Karando 290 SR bearing vehicle registration number BJL 4063B belonging to The Gambia government.

Count 3 stated that Lt Bakary Camara on 10th January, 2008, in Banjul, Republic of The Gambia, gave false information to Fansu AD Faburay of the Police Licensing Authority that the president of the Republic gave a vehicle as gift and authorised the transfer of the motor vehicle Sangyong Karando 290 Sr with registration number BJL 4063B to the private ownership of Dominico Fedeli, which information was acted upon to effect a transfer of ownership to the said Dominico Fedeli and thereby committed an offence.
 
Count 4 held that Lt Bakary Camara on 10th January, 2008, in Banjul, the Republic of The Gambia, gave false information to Supt Manlafi Sanyang, the controller of government vehicles at State House that the president of the Republic has given a gift and authorised the transfer of the motor vehicle Sangyong Karando 290 SR with registration number BJL 4063B property of The Gambia government.

However, the three accused persons denied all the charges preferred against them.

Inspector Touray, the prosecution officer, called his witness Mr Fansu AD Faburay, the head of the Police Licensing Authority at the Police Headquarters to give his evidence in the trial.

In his evidence-in-chief, the head of Police Licensing Authority recalled on 10th January, 2008, whilst in his office at the licence department, received telephone call from Supt Manlafi Sanyang who informed him that the president of the Republic of The Gambia has given out a motor vehicle registration No BJL 4063B to one Mr Dominico Fedeli as a gift. He said he told Supt Sanyang that he can only effect the vehicle transfer through a written document.

ASP Faburay told the Banjul Magistrates Court presided over by senior magistrate Kayode Olajubutu that few days later he saw Dominico Fedeli with the personnel of PIU, whom he said he could not identify. However, he said the officer was in full uniform and Dominico submitted a letter of transfer addressed by the Government Vehicles Control Unit at the State House to the Department of Licence at the Police Headquarters.

“The said letter was in original form, signed by Supt Manlafi Sanyang, the head of Vehicles Control Unit at State House,” he added. Mr Faburay identified the said letter which was later tendered and marked as exhibit A.

According to the head of licensing authority, he effected the transfer of the said vehicle in the name of Dominico Fedeli as the owner and issued a certificate of ownership; the original of which was given to the accused and the copy kept in a file at the Police Licensing Authority

“Few days later, I received calls from Inspector Touray from the Prosecution Unit at the Police Headquarters in Banjul, where I gave a statement,” he said.

Responding to questions posed to him by the defence counsel, Lamin Camara, during a cross examination, ASP Faburay said he knows Supt Manlafi Sanyang and Dominico Fedeli but he did not know lt Bakary Camara.

Faburay maintained that the court that the said vehicle is the property of the government of The Gambia.