By: Nicholas Bass
The criminal trial of three judiciary officers accused of involvement in the missing 52 blocks of cocaine at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court resumed yesterday before Justice Sarah Aryee of the Banjul High Court with new revelations.
The seventh prosecution witness (PW7), Nfally Daffeh, attached to the Data Entry, Crime Scene, and Investigation Unit of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency, The Gambia (DLEAG), stated he had taken pictures of the missing 52 blocks of cocaine, allegedly belonging to Bocar Hamet Salla, before the drugs were tendered as exhibits before the first accused, Magistrate Ebrima Janko Colley.
Daffeh also confirmed taking pictures of the exhibited drugs after the suspected tampering by the accused: Magistrate Ebrima Janko Colley, former principal registrar Ridwan Othman, and Mariama Janko Colley.
At that point, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), AM Yusuf, applied to the court for the admission of nine pictures of the missing cocaine blocks and a USB flash drive containing the same images to be marked as exhibits.
However, defence lawyer Musa O.S. Bachilly objected, arguing that the pictures were not attached to Daffeh’s summary statement. He requested time for the defence to verify the printed pictures and the flash drive.
The court granted the request. However, after reviewing the evidence, the defence discovered that the flash drive contained twelve pictures while only nine had been printed by the prosecution.
Justice Aryee then ordered the prosecution to print the remaining three pictures for them to be tendered before the court could accept them as exhibits. The matter was adjourned for continuation.
Meanwhile, court records show that former principal registrar Ridwan Othman and Magistrate Ebrima Janko Colley are on trial for conspiracy to commit a felony, theft, dealing in prohibited drugs, fraud, and breach of trust. Court clerk Mariama Janko Tamba faces a charge of neglect of official duty.
