Principal Magistrate Buba Jawo of the Kanifing Magistrates Court recently granted one Musa Sallah a court bail in the sum of D50,000 after he pleaded not guilty to the charges of attempted rape and stealing contrary to the laws of The Gambia.

According to the prosecution, the accused, on May 12, at Pipeline attempted to have unlawful carnal knowledge of one Mariama Ceesay, who is a dumb girl, by using force.

Count two revealed that the accused, on the same day, at Pipeline, stole a Nokia mobile phone 3310, valued at D1500, being the property of the said complainant.

Giving her testimony in court using sign language with an interpreter, Ms Ceesay said she is a student and recognised the accused in the dock.

According to her, on the day in question, she was had just come out on the streets after browsing in an internet cafe. "Between the Taiwanese Embassy and the Senegalese High School, I realised that there was a noise behind me.  To my surprise, the accused held me from behind and strangled me behind the corner of the Senegalese High School. The accused then tried to take off my clothes and took my mobile phone from me and switched it off" she said.

According to her, she did not even know what was happening adding that as the push and pull became noiser, some passers-by began to realise that something unusual was happening.

"He covered my mouth so that I could not shout for help," she said.

She stated that the accused was then arrested with the help of the security officers at the Taiwanese Embassy and was later taken to the Kanifing Estate Police Station.

She told the court that she made a statement at the police station.

The case was then adjourned to July 23 for continuation.