Gambia Court Hears Testimony in Armed Robbery Case Involving United Vegetable Oil Company Theft

High Court

A senior police officer testified Thursday that 400,000 dalasis stolen during the armed robbery of the United Vegetable Oil Company was split among the perpetrators, with a portion reportedly used to purchase a firearm in Senegal for future crimes.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Lamin Saidykhan, testifying as the prosecution’s fifth witness, linked the accused—Abdoulie Jallow, Alfusainey Diabate (also known as Lossana Jobarteh), and Ansumana Jarju—not only to the January 31, 2024, break-in at the vegetable oil company but also to a subsequent heist at El Hella, another commercial entity in the region.

The trio stands trial on multiple counts, including conspiracy to commit a felony, robbery with violence, and intent to commit further crimes. Saidykhan, who is assigned to the Serious Crime Unit at police headquarters, detailed the investigation that led to their arrest and the evidence tying them to both incidents.

According to his testimony, the United Vegetable Oil Company’s premises were breached via a window, with the intruders disabling the company’s safe and injuring a security guard in the process. Saidykhan described a chaotic crime scene: a ransacked watchman’s quarters, a tampered safe, and forensic evidence confirming the presence and injury of the guard, who recounted being tied up and held at knifepoint while the suspects proceeded to the main office.

The officer told the court that the investigation gained traction after another robbery took place on February 8, 2025, at El Hella, where two armed men made off with more than one million dalasis and additional foreign currency. A vehicle linked to that robbery was spotted the same evening being driven by a local mechanic, Amadou Jallow, leading police to uncover further links to the suspects.

Saidykhan testified that the vehicle was traced back to Lossana Jobarteh, a citizen of Côte d’Ivoire, who was arrested between Busumbala and Yundum while awaiting the return of his vehicle. Interrogations of the mechanic and Jobarteh led to the identification of all three defendants as participants in both robberies.

Under questioning, Jobarteh allegedly confessed, admitting to investigators that he and the other two men had planned and executed the robbery at United Vegetable Oil Company. He is said to have revealed insider knowledge of the company, having previously worked there, and used that familiarity to guide the operation.

According to his confession, Jallow was assigned to subdue the watchman, while Jobarteh breached the office and Jarju stood guard at the entrance. They reportedly retrieved D400,000 from the safe, dividing D100,000 each, with the remaining sum used by Jallow to purchase a pistol in Senegal, which he allegedly concealed by wrapping it in a shirt and tape.

A subsequent search of Jobarteh’s residence turned up several items matching descriptions from CCTV footage, including camouflage and black coats, two caps, face masks, a light blue pair of jeans, and a pistol.

The trial, presided over by the High Court, is set to continue on June 11 with the cross-examination of Deputy Superintendent Saidykhan.