APRC’s Banjul Central Lawmaker in Legal Tussle

Hon. Saine

The ruling APRC party National Assembly member for Banjul Central is facing a civil suit for allegedly refusing a complete payment of a vehicle he purchased from one Mr Williamson Davis, the plaintiff.
The plaintiff is claiming the sum of D40, 000 being the balance money due on the sale of a Toyota vehicle to Hon. Abdoulie Saine, who denied the claim.
Mr Mam Sait Ceesay, a media consultant who instituted the legal action on behalf of the plaintiff on Monday told the magistrate’s court in Banjul that he knows everything that transpired between Hon. Saine and Mr. Davis regarding the saga.
 And he narrated: “In 2008, Mr. Davis offered to sell his car to Hon Saine because he needed money to be able to return abroad.
According to Mr Ceesay, the legislator accepted Mr. Davis’ offer, but only paid D20, 000.00 and refused to pay the rest of the agreed amount.

“Mr Davis consistently asked Saine for the balance, but to no avail,” he explained.
He added that Mr. Davis had sought for the intervention of Madam Fatou Jahumpa Ceesay, the speaker of the National Assembly at the time.
“Former speaker had asked Fabakary Tombong Jatta, the Majority Leader to handle the matter,” Mam Sait Ceesay explained further.
“Barely few days later, Davis was called to Hon. Jatta’s office where he met the defendant, Mr Saine.
According to Mr Ceesay, Hon Jatta gave two options to his fellow parliamentarian: either to pay the rest by two installments or to surrender the vehicle to Davis, who was to sell the vehicle and refund D20, 000 paid to him by Hon Saine.
He said Hon Saine agreed to the latter option. But a week after that meeting, the lawmaker threatened Mr Davies, who refused to be cowed down.
Mr Ceesay said, Hon Saine requested two refrigerators from Mr. Davis to cover up for the D20, 000.00, but the latter refused.
“A couple of days later, Davis was arrested when Hon Saine reported him to the police, claiming D20, 000.00. But the police released him when he told his side of the story.
“The police decided that the vehicle be given back to Davis to sell it and return the D20, 000. 00 to Mr. Saine,” Mr Ceesay testified.
According to him, when Davis could not sell the car, he entrusted it to one Mr Ousman Mbaye.
But following Davis’ departure to U.K, the vehicle was taken into the possession of Banjul Magistrate’s Court.
A judgment was later delivered in favour of the lawmaker, who claimed an additional D17, 000.00.
When the vehicle was auctioned, Hon Saine used another man who bought it on his behalf.
“The vehicle is currently packed in a garage at Tobacco Road in Banjul. It is hidden inside,” Mr Ceesay said.
Two documents from the High Court where tendered as evidence. The defendant objected to the tendering of the document, but he was overruled.

The case continues Monday.