The media has been informed by the police about the most recent methods that taxi drivers employ to defraud individuals. Yesterday, the Kairaba Police Station hosted a press briefing to inform and educate the public about the novel approach of criminals who employ taxis to plunder individuals.
The police have arrested Abubacarr Touray, a 22-year-old taxi driver from Faji Kunda, for allegedly plotting and carrying out a violent robbery as the leader of a six-person group on June 16, 2024. This information was disclosed by the police on June 17.
Pateh Bah, Regional Crime Officer, provided a detailed account of the robbery’s planning and execution during a media briefing. He stated that “Complainant Bài Nyass Bah and his friends from Abuko required a taxi to operate their service for five days. They reached an agreement with Abubacar Touray, the principal suspect in this case, who does not possess a taxi but has a friend who does, and lent him his taxi.”
“He charged Bài Nyass D10,000 for the five-day period.” Bai Nyass consented to the price despite being oblivious of Abubacarr Touray’s strategy. He collected his friend in the evening, arranged a ride with the taxi driver, and rode around until approximately midnight on June 16. Bài was unaware that the suspect had arranged with his colleagues to employ an additional taxi to ambush him and his passengers.
As they made these arrangements, the team also boardinged the vehicle and began travelling in the direction of the other suspect, Demba Jarjue, who had also borrowed a taxi from a resident of Faji Kunda. They preceded them along the Mile Seven road, which is the location of the crime scene, and feigned to experience a breakdown. At that time, the taxi that the primary suspect was operating halted and feigned to be conducting an inquiry regarding the incident. At that moment, Demba and his counterpart charged the opposing vehicle, spraying it with pepper spray while holding a knife and threatening to inflict harm if it relocated. This was the method by which they removed them from their properties. Three mobile phones and D40,000 in cash.
Immediately following the robbery, Officer Pateh stated that Abubacarr, the primary suspect who was still feigning ignorance, recommended that they report the incident to the Bakau Police Station. It was after midnight on June 17th when they arrived at the police station.
Pateh described that the regional commissioner was informed of the situation upon their arrival at the station, and he promptly organised a team to investigate the matter, which was of a severe nature.
“He contacted me through his coordination, and I, in turn, coordinated.” We later realised that Abubacarr was the mastermind of the robbery as we began our interrogating. He began confessing by disclosing the plans and his counterparts.
Officer Pateh also recounted, “We mobilised a task force to search for them as a result of Abubacarr’s cooperation.” He guided us, and we were fortunate enough to apprehend all of them. We apprehended Demba Jarjue at Kotu, Ebrima Sarr, Edrissa Ceesay, and Ebrima Konateh at Faji Kunda, and transported them to Bakau CID. They were interrogated, and they ultimately admitted to the larceny.
He also stated that they assisted the police in the recovery of the mobile phones and money that were stolen from the complainant. Nevertheless, the entire D40,000 was not located; however, D3,900 was discovered in the possession of one of the suspects, and an additional D2,000 was discovered in the vehicle that Abubacarr was operating.
Officer Pateh stated that the police would persist in their investigation and search efforts to acquire additional evidence and retrieve the stolen items.