Thiès: Driver acquitted in alleged phone theft case

The Thiès District Court acquitted a driver prosecuted over the alleged theft of two mobile phones from the home of Mr Faye. At the end of the hearing, the court gave the defendant the benefit of the doubt.

According to reported details, the incident occurred one morning at around 6 a.m. Ibrahima allegedly entered the civil claimant's house and then one of its bedrooms. He was accused of taking two phones and putting them in his pockets.

Found inside the home

Mr Faye allegedly caught the driver inside his home. A search carried out at the scene reportedly led to the two devices being found on him. The suspect was then subdued and handed over to law enforcement officers before being remanded in custody.

In court, the defendant denied committing theft. He said he was intoxicated and maintained that, while returning home, he had mistaken Mr Faye's residence for his own.

Benefit of the doubt

This account did not fully resolve questions surrounding the presence of the phones in his pockets. The prosecution had requested that the law be applied.

However, the court chose to give the driver the benefit of the doubt and acquitted him.