Mr Tombong Ceesay, former chief of Foni Bintang Karanai District, Western Region, yesterday, appeared before Magistrate Ayoub John Njie of the Brikama Magistrates' court on eight charges including theft. The offences were said to have been committed in 2003 while Mr Ceesay was the chief of the said district.

He was charged for stealing the following court fines: D5, 100, D8000, D2, 500, D3, 100, D4, 000, D4, 600, D1, 500 and D3050, contrary to section 258 of the Criminal Code, Laws of The Gambia.

When the charge sheet was read to him, Mr Ceesay pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.In his testimony before the court yesterday, Siaka Ceesay, one of the prosecution witnesses in the case told the court that he was some time ago charged for stealing 2 kilos of rice and 2 kilo of crack wheat and was summoned to the tribunal.

According to him, he was found guilty by the tribunal and was fine to pay D2, 500. He added that he had paid the money to Mr Tombong Ceesay himself but no receipt was issued to him, noting that the accused person told him that the receipts were finished.

"Some days later, one Fabakary Sanyang told me that they had taken the accused person to Sibanorr police and he asked me if I had collected my receipt from him," Ceesay said. He said that he was then told by Mr Sanyang to answer to the Sibanorr police and when he went there, he was asked to give his statement, which he did. The said statement was then tendered and marked as an exhibit.

Magistrate Njie subsequently adjourned the case for continuation. Police prosecutor, Corporal0. Ceesay represented the IGP in the trial.