By Buba Gagigo
Saikou Badjie, a truck driver, has been taken into custody for allegedly transporting stolen cattle from Sare Kokeh in the Upper River Region (URR) to New Yundum, where he delivered them to a butcher named Lamin Jarju.
According to Muhammed Jallow, popularly known as Bamol, a leader in one of the Fula WhatsApp groups, the cattle theft occurred in Sare Kokeh, involving four cattle on November 28, 2023. After making an announcement, they received a tip that the stolen cattle were spotted in Bajana, Foni. Upon investigation, the cattle were found in a compound owned by one Pa Jarju.
“They stole the cattle from Sare Kokeh. They stole four cattle. The cattle were stolen on the 28th of November 2023. When we made the announcement, we received a call from someone that he saw the same cattle I put on the WhatsApp forum in Bajana, Foni. We went to Bajana and located the cattle at a compound owned by Pa Jarju. We attempted to contact Pa Jarju, but he was unavailable, attending the President’s Meet The People Tour in Somita.” Muhammed Jallow fondly called Bamol said.
Despite Pa Jarju being in a meeting (President’s Meet The People Tour In Somita), they managed to inform him about the situation.
During their meeting with Pa Jarju, he revealed that his nephew, Saikou Badjie, who worked as a truck driver, brought the cattle and mentioned that someone would collect them on Thursday.
Jallow stated that they proceeded to Kunkujang Kateyaa, where Saikou Badjie resided, and arrested him. Badjie admitted to transporting the cattle from Basse, specifying a village called Sinchan Samba Jawo before Mankamang Kunda. When questioned about the remaining three cattle, he disclosed that they were in New Yundum with a butcher named Lamin Jarju. Badjie explained that the butcher was supposed to receive all four cattle, but Abdoulie Bah, the alleged mastermind, instructed him to drop one in Foni.
“From Foni we went to Kunkujang Kateyaa where Saikou Badjie (The Truck Driver) lives. We found him at his compound and arrested him. He said he carried the cattle from Basse, from a village before Mankamang Kunda called Sinchan Samba Jawo. We asked him about the remaining three cattle, he said they were in New Yundum with a Butcher named Lamin Jarju. He said the butcher was supposed to receive all the four cattle but one Abdoulie Bah, who sent him to transport the cattle, told him to drop one off in Foni,” he explained.
The group then went to the butcher’s compound in New Yundum and discovered the three remaining cattle. Both the truck driver and the butcher were apprehended and handed over to the Sibanor Police Station. According to Jallow, it was revealed that the butcher had promised Abdoulie Bah, who is now on the run, a Range Rover vehicle in exchange for the stolen cattle.
“The Butcher was also arrested and all of them were handed over at Sibanor Police Station. From what we understand is that the Butcher promised to give Abdoulie Bah (alleged Thief on the run) a Range Rover vehicle in exchange for the cattle. Abdoulie Bah, who handed the cattle to the driver, is now on the run,” he said.
Cadet ASP Modou Musa Sisawo, Acting Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the story to Kerr Fatou and pledged to provide more information about the case at a later time.