By: Isatou Sarr
A 56-year-old man has been convicted by the Brikama Magistrates’ Court for possessing nearly two kilograms of cannabis, with the court imposing a fine of D75,000 or a nine-month prison term in default.
The accused, Tijan Njie, appeared before Magistrate Kanjura B. Sambou on a charge of possession of prohibited drugs, contrary to Section 35 (2) (c) of the Drug Control Act (Amendment) 2014.
Prosecuting on behalf of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency The Gambia (DLEAG), ASP M.K. Bojang informed the court that Njie was arrested on December 31, 2025, at the Kalagi Check Point in the West Coast Region, where he was found in possession of 1kg 900g of cannabis sativa.
When the charge was read and explained to him in a language he understood, the accused pleaded guilty.
Following the plea, the prosecution applied to rely on the particulars of offence as brief facts and tendered several documents, including a 24-hour daily report, cautionary and voluntary statements, a weight certificate, and an analytical report.
Njie did not object to the submission of the documents, prompting the court to admit them as evidence pursuant to Section 3 of the Evidence Act.
Based on the guilty plea, the uncontested facts, and the exhibits before it, the court found him guilty and convicted him accordingly.
In his plea for leniency, Njie told the court he was unwell and had been using the substance as medicine. However, Magistrate Sambou noted that while the court was sympathetic to his condition, illness could not justify possession of prohibited drugs.
Taking into account that he was a first-time offender and had not wasted the court’s time, the magistrate exercised discretion and imposed a fine of D75,000. In default of payment, Njie is to serve nine months’ imprisonment.
The court further granted him three months within which to pay the fine, in line with Section 29 of the Criminal Code. Pending the payment, he was admitted to bail in the sum of D100,000 with one Gambian surety, who must deposit a valid national identification card with the court registrar.