The courtroom was filled to capacity and people were waiting outside the courtroom to show their support for Cheikh Kadim Ndiaye at his second court appearance on June 4. Ndiaye was a contracted basketball coach at the Sid Jacobson JCC in Greenvale and was arrested on May 19, for allegedly punching a child in both of his arms during a basketball practice at the JCC on Saturday, May 18.
According to a press release from the Nassau County Police Department, following an investigation, Ndiaye was placed under arrest and transported to the Third Precinct for arrest processing. On May 20, Ndiaye was arraigned at the First District Court in Hempstead where he was charged with third-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child. According to court records from May 20, Ndiaye was released on his own recognizance and a temporary order of protection was issued.
The recent court proceeding on June 4 brought new evidence to the case. A video tape obtained from the JCC of the alleged incident was provided by Ndiaye’s attorney for the defense, as well as several letters and character references from members of the community whom vouch for Ndiaye as a coach. The attorney stated that many members of the community are still continuing to use Ndiaye as a coach, despite being aware of the charges placed upon him. His attorney also stated that police were unable to obtain the video from the JCC before police arrested Ndiaye.
A GoFundMe page was created for Ndiaye with a goal of raising $10,000.Since the creation of the page, more than $14,500 has been raised. The page summary reads, “To know Khadim is to love him. He is a kind, gentle and humble young man who is currently facing an unfortunate situation that is causing tremendous emotional and financial stress on him and his family. Please consider contributing any amount you are comfortable with. One hundred percent of each donation will go directly to helping Khadim during this difficult time.”
Ndiaye’s next court date is on July 2 at the Nassau County District Court in Hempstead.
