A suspected ceramic thief standing trial at the Banjul magistrates’ court has been slapped with a  12 million dalasi bail bond. 

Modou Lamin Baldeh is charged with stealing contrary to section 252 of the Criminal Code after being arrested over the theft of five 20-feet containers of ceramic wall tiles valued at around $17,500 from Mam Begay S. Jagne.

Principal Magistrate Muhammed Krubally told the court that the fact that the offence with which the accused is charged is a bailable one and the court is equally conscious of the fact that the prosecution did not object to the grant of bail to the accused.

He further ordered the accused to provide the court with a land lease document whose current market value, if sold, should not be less than the bail amount.

Additionally, the accused must provide two reliable Gambian sureties who must furnish their valid contact information, addresses, and original valid ID cards to the office of the registrar.

The sureties must swear an affidavit affirming that they will ensure the accused’s presence at all subsequent court proceedings on the specified dates and times. 

The sureties must declare that if the accused absconds from the jurisdiction or fails to appear in court, they will forfeit the bail sum to the state.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba