In a decisive ruling at the Banjul Magistrate Court, Principal Magistrate Krubally issued a bench warrant on Thursday for Abdul Kamara, alias Ramadan, the prime suspect in the murder of retired Gambian banker Reuben Andrews. The court’s action followed an urgent application by Police Sub-Inspector Sarr, who argued that Kamara, a Sierra Leonean national, had fled the country and required international cooperation for his arrest.
The hearing centered on the gruesome killing of Andrews, 63, who was discovered bound and lifeless in his Brufut Heights home on March 10, 2025. Inspector Sarr, representing the prosecution, presented compelling evidence implicating Kamara as the chief suspect. He informed the court that the crime scene revealed signs of forced entry, with stolen items including laptops, phones, and cash amounting to $7,000, £2,000, and between D9,000 and D10,000. A ladder and cutlass recovered at the scene further supported the police’s case.
“Abdul Kamara is the principal suspect in this grave murder incident,” Inspector Sarr testified. “Our Interpol Office in Banjul has confirmed credible intelligence that he has escaped to Sierra Leone. Sierra Leonean Interpol has requested a formal bench warrant to enable his apprehension and extradition back to The Gambia to face justice.”
Inspector Sarr pressed the court to grant the warrant, emphasizing its necessity to empower Sierra Leonean authorities to act swiftly. He noted that Kamara’s flight from The Gambia had complicated the investigation, leaving police reliant on international assistance to bring him to trial.
Magistrate Krubally, after a careful review of the prosecution’s evidence and submissions, acknowledged the severity of the allegations. “The court finds the application for a bench warrant to be both justified and necessary,” he ruled. “A bench warrant is hereby endorsed as applied.” The magistrate further directed that Kamara be arrested by Interpol in Sierra Leone and handed over to Gambian authorities to answer for the murder charge.
The court also heard that the murder, reported by Andrews’ wife, had rattled the Brufut Heights community. Preliminary findings indicated that a watchman, seen at the residence earlier on the day of the crime alongside a maid, was also missing and suspected to be on the run. Andrews was declared dead at Ndemban Clinic, and his body was later transferred to the EFSTH Mortuary for further examination.
The issuance of the bench warrant marks a pivotal moment in the case, signaling the court’s commitment to ensuring Kamara faces trial for the brutal slaying. With Interpol now involved, the proceedings have taken on an international dimension as authorities work to apprehend the fugitive suspect and deliver justice for Reuben Andrews.
