Principal Magistrate Taiwo Ade Alagbe of the Banjul Magistrates Court Monday remanded Sulayman Secka, the proprietor of Pass Trading Enterprise, who is charged with three counts of economic crime. This development was contained in a ruling delivered in the case on the issue of jurisdiction of the court trying the case of economic crime, argued by both the state and defence counsel on Friday.

The presiding magistrate in his ruling said that before the plea of the accused was taken at all, the court having considered the nature of the charge against the accused, ordered for both parties to address the court on whether or not the court has the proper jurisdiction to hear the case. He further stated that based on the order of the court, submissions were made to that effect and he ruled that in the opinion of the court, were the provision of law.

The presiding magistrate then ordered for the case to be transferred to the High Court and further ordered for the accused to be remanded in prison custody pending his proper arraignment at the said court. The accused is charged alongside Pass Trading Enterprise on three multiple counts of intentionally or recklessly causing economic losses to a public body contrary to Section 5B of the Economic Crimes (specified offences) Act Cap 13:07 Vol III, Laws of The Gambia.

The particulars of the offence stated that Sulayman Secka and Pass Trading Enterprise between the months of June and July 2011 in Banjul, received the sum of D170, 000 to supply a DP Duplo printer 460 office machine and DBM 500T booklet maker but intentionally or recklessly failed to supply the specified machines and thereby caused economic losses to WAEC and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education- public bodies in The Gambia.

Count two of the same charge revealed that the accused between the months of June and July 2011 in Banjul received the sum of D335, 000 to supply two (2) DRS scanners and one Server Rack but intentionally or recklessly failed to supply the said machines and thereby caused economic losses to WAEC and MoBSE- public bodies in The Gambia.

On count three also of the same charge, the particulars of the offence disclosed that the accused between the months of June and July 2011 in Banjul received the sum of D375, 000 to supply one Esper DC 2012 Direct Marketing Collatormachine, one Guillotine machine and two Braille machines but failed to supply the machines and thereby caused economic losses to WAEC and MoBSE - public bodies in The Gambia.