By: Nicholas Bass
Sadivi Hauya, a labourer at the United Vegetable Oil Company, on Monday told Banjul High Court that the armed robbery attack on the company was terrifying, adding that the attack left him unable to recognize the assailants.
Testifying before the court as the first prosecution witness, Sadivi Hauya stated that he was seated in his room on the day of the “sudden” attack on the vegetable oil company, adding that the attack happened at a time when his brother Hamadou Baba left the company for food.
Hauya adduced that the suspected robbers were armed with cutlasses, stating that two were wearing masks whilst the third was without a mask.
The witness told the court that the alleged robbers tied up his legs, hands, and gagged his mouth, explaining that he was beaten by the suspected robbers and forced to sit on the ground.
“I was terrified,” he explained, adding that he was led by the suspected armed robbers to his room, where one was stationed to watch him whilst the two others searched the company for money.
Hauya disclosed that the alleged robbers broke the main gate of the company, adding that one of the inner doors was partially broken. He further testified that after the departure of the suspected robbers, he limped out of his room, phoned his brother, and explained to him what had transpired. Hauya testified that his brother came to the scene with three soldiers, saying the brother also reported the matter to the police.
The suspects in the United Vegetable Oil Company attack, Abdoulie Jallow, Ansumana Jarju, and Losseni Diabate, on or about 31 December 2024, at the United Vegetable Oil Company at Saro in the Denton Bridge area, allegedly agreed amongst themselves to commit a felony, to wit: robbery.
The particulars of count two read that the trio on or about 31 December 2024, at the United Vegetable Oil Company at Denton Bridge area of the city of Banjul, while allegedly armed with cutlasses and knives, allegedly robbed the United Vegetable Oil Company of D400,000, which was under the custody of security guard Sadivi Hauya.
