By Isatou Sarr
The Banjul Magistrates’ Court, presided over by Principal Magistrate M. Krubally, has convicted and fined Binta Jallow D150,000 after she was found guilty of concealing prohibited drugs in a bowl of rice destined for Mile 2 Central Prison.
Jallow faced three counts of drug-related offences. Count one involved 264 grams of cannabis sativa, contrary to Section 35(2)(a) of the Drug Control Act 2014. Count two involved 5.526 grams of hashish under Section 35(1)(b) of the Drug Control Act 2003, while count three concerned 4 grams of clonazepam, contrary to Section 32(1)(b) of the same Act. The offences were committed on 16 March 2026.
She was first arraigned on 23 March 2026, where she pleaded guilty to all charges after they were read and explained to her in Wolof. The case was adjourned for the prosecution to present its facts, while she was remanded at Mile 2 Central Prison.
At the resumed hearing on 8 April 2026, defence counsel A.J. Njie appeared for Jallow and successfully applied to correct errors in her name and address on the charge sheet. He also applied to change her plea to not guilty, but the court rejected the request, ruling that it was premature as the prosecution had not yet presented its facts. The magistrate described the application as “putting the cart before the horse.”
Testifying, ASP M.A. Mendy of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency (DLEAG) told the court that Jallow visited the prison carrying a bowl of rice intended for an inmate. During a routine search, officers became suspicious after detecting a solid object inside the food. A further inspection led to the discovery of cannabis, hashish, and clonazepam concealed in the rice.
The accused was taken into custody, and the substances were later analysed, with reports and exhibits tendered in evidence.
When given the opportunity to respond, Jallow admitted that the facts were correct, confirming that the substances were found in her possession.
In mitigation, she pleaded for leniency, citing responsibility for two young children and claiming she was unaware of the drugs, which she said had been given to her by another individual.
Although the prosecution confirmed she was a first-time offender, Magistrate Krubally described the offence as serious, noting that attempts to smuggle drugs into prison undermine order and promote criminal activity.
He imposed a fine of D50,000 on each count, totalling D150,000. In default of payment, Jallow will serve one year imprisonment per count, with the sentences to run consecutively, amounting to three years.
