By Arret Jatta
A young driver has been charged with attempted murder and three other offences after speeding off with a police officer hanging on his car bonnet the video of which went viral last week.
Reports said the incident started as a routine request for vehicle documents.
The driver, Abdul Wahab Jobarteh, appeared before Principal Magistrate Krubally at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court.
According to the prosecution, Jobarteh attempted to cause the death of Sergeant 4485 Alagie Badjie by driving his vehicle at excessive speed while the officer was lying on the bonnet, carrying him from Banjul to Manjai Kunda.
In addition to the attempted murder charge, Jobarteh also faces counts of reckless and negligent acts, disobedience of lawful orders, and common assault. Prosecutors alleged that he drove in a manner likely to endanger human life, refused to provide vehicle documents when requested by the police, and assaulted another officer, identified as Alagie Barry, by clipping his hands with the vehicle’s side mirror.
The charges were read and interpreted to the accused in Wolof, but he pleaded not guilty to all four counts.
The prosecution, led by Commissioner Sanneh, supported by a team of senior police officers, opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the offences and ongoing investigations. The prosecution also argued that the accused could face threats to his safety if released.
However Defence Counsel Adama Sillah in seeking bail for his client argued that the offences were balaible and that the prosecution had not established sufficient legal grounds to deny his client liberty, pending trial.
After hearing both sides, Magistrate Krubally ruled that the offences were bailable and granted Jobarteh bail in the total sum of D250,000 with four responsible Gambian sureties.
The case was adjourned to June 16.
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