The Banjul Magistrates’ Court is today expected to deliver its ruling on the no-case-to-answer submission made by lawyers for Austrians Manuel Stofleth di Mitterer and partner Angelika Mitterer, sources informed JollofNews.
The lower court, according to sources, is today expected to read its ruling on whether or not the Austrians should be tried on disobedience of lawful order charges brought against them by the national police.
The couple’s brush with the law began sometime last year when investors Ebrima Solomon Tamba and Marcel Limbertus van Andel involved the police in investigating Manuel on suspicion of diverting millions of dalasis of proceeds from their investment.
Tamba, Andel and Mitterer partnered some years back to construct the tallest apartment block in the country called K2 Bitcoin Tower. The tower block, constructed under the Kasumai Real Estate agency brand, has more than 30 apartments, an underground garage and a restaurant.
Manuel reportedly told his investment partners that he sold some of the apartments, but had invested the proceeds in Bitcoins. He allegedly barred the probe team access to his laptop computer, containing details of the cryptocurrency transactions.
Consequently, he and Angelika were charged, paving the way for criminal proceedings against them.
Second prosecution witness ASP Lamin Saidykhan of The Gambia Police Force (GPF) told the court in one of the proceedings that Angelika was tied to the case because she created a perfect condition for her partner to siphon the proceeds from the apartment sales.
Commissioner Abdoulie Sanneh, Deputy Commissioner Malang Jarju, ASP Essa Sarr and ASP Fatou Faal Kujabi are representing the Inspector General of Police in the case, while senior counsels Ida Drammeh and Sheriff Tambedou are providing legal representation for the Stofleths.
