Katim Touray, also known as Kartel, faces two charges before the Kanifing Magistrate Court: Publication of obscene material in electronic form and trafficking in obscene publications after allegedly circulating the intimate video of a girl without her consent. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded to Mile 2 after failing to meet bail conditions.
Katim Touray, popularly known as Kartel, was yesterday, Wednesday, brought before Principal Magistrate Sallah Mbye of the Kanifing Magistrates Court and charged with two criminal counts arising from the alleged non-consensual sharing of a girl’s nude video on social media.
DSP Y.S. Colley appeared before the court on behalf of the Inspector General of Police and presented two charges against Katim Touray.
Count one: Publication of Obscene Material in Electronic Form
Contrary to Section 170(1) of the Information and Communication Act. It is alleged that Katim Touray (alias Kartel) and one Kaddijatou Bah (currently at large), sometime in May 2025 at Bakoteh, wilfully and unlawfully published and circulated a nude video of one Awa Ndow through WhatsApp and TikTok to several individuals, in a manner calculated to damage her reputation.
Count two: Trafficking in Obscene Publications contrary to Section 142(1)(a) and (b) of the Criminal Offences Act 2025. It is further alleged that Katim Touray and Kaddijatou Bah, without authority or lawful excuse, shared the naked video of Awa Ndow on WhatsApp and TikTok with several individuals.
When the two charges were read to him, Katim Touray pleaded not guilty to both counts. DSP Colley objected to the bail of the accused person (Kartel), indicating that he is a flight risk because he doesn’t live in the Country as he is based in Italy with all the Italian residents’ documents and that the accused only came for Tobaski. He’s reliably informed that he will soon leave.
Counsel M.L Drammeh entered a conditional appearance on behalf of the accused and applied for bail, submitting that the charges are bailable offences.
Presiding Magistrate Sallah Mbye granted bail in the sum of D500,000 with two responsible Gambian sureties, each required to present a valid National ID Card to be deposited with the Registrar of the Court.
Beyond the financial conditions, the Magistrate imposed additional travel and identity restrictions on the accused. Katim Touray was ordered to surrender his Gambian National ID Card, his Gambian Passport, his Italian residential permit, and any other travel documents in his possession. All such documents, upon being brought to court, are to be verified by both the presiding Magistrate and the Registrar.
Principal Magistrate Sallah Mbye further directed that the telephone numbers provided by the sureties be verified through GSM companies to confirm that the numbers genuinely belong to the named sureties.
Despite bail being granted, Katim Touray was unable to meet the bail conditions before the close of the court’s business for the day. He was escorted to Mile 2 Central Prison, where he will be held pending the fulfilment of those conditions.
The case was adjourned to 24th June 2026 at 11:00am for the hearing of PW1, the prosecution’s first witness.
Kaddijatou Bah, who is named as a co-accused in both counts, remains at large. Katim Touray was remanded to Mile 2 Central Prison after failing to fulfil his bail conditions before the close of business.
