By: Cecilia E.L. Mendy
The prosecution on Tuesday closed its case against Becky Love Sunday, also known as Linda who was facing human trafficking charges with the defence subsequently filing “a no-case submission.”
The case that came up before Justice Sidi K. Jobarteh of the High Court in Banjul involved charges relating to human trafficking and prostitution-related offences.
State Counsel A. Badjie represented the prosecution, while Counsel A. Sanneh appeared for the accused.
According to the charge sheet, the accused allegedly trafficked a female victim, whose name was being withheld, from Senegal to The Gambia in July 2025 for the purpose of exploiting her through prostitution within the Kanifing Municipality and other places.
The second count alleges that the accused imported the victim from Senegal into The Gambia with the intention of engaging her in prostitution and knowingly received and benefited from money earned through the alleged victim’s prostitution activities.
The third count alleges that the accused knowingly lived wholly or partly on the earnings of prostitution of the alleged victim and aided, abetted or compelled her into prostitution for financial gain. The charge further alleges that she collected money earned from the victim’s prostitution and exercised control over her movements and documents.
The prosecution’s fourth witness, Seedy Sambou, testified that he was a businessman residing in Kanifing Layout. He told the court that he knew both the accused and the alleged victim because they regularly visited his shop to buy mobile phone credit.
Sambou said that on one occasion the alleged victim came to his shop crying and appeared distressed. According to him, she told him that someone had brought her to The Gambia and that she was required to pay that person a certain amount of money in Nigerian naira. However, he testified that she did not mention the person’s name.
The witness said he informed the alleged victim that there was little he could do personally and advised her to report the matter to the police. He accompanied her to a police station, but because it was a weekend, they were advised to report the matter to the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP).
Sambou further testified that the alleged victim told him she had nowhere to stay, prompting him to take her to his sister’s residence. He added that they later visited NAATIP, where he provided a statement.
Under cross-examination, the witness admitted that he did not witness how the alleged victim entered The Gambia and did not know who brought her into the country.
Following the testimony, the prosecution closed its case after calling four witnesses. The defence subsequently filed a no-case submission.
Justice Jobarteh granted the defence 14 days to file its brief and adjourned the matter to 13 July 2026 for adoption of briefs.
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