By: Nicholas Bass
Four Portuguese nationals and five Gambian youths have denied three charges of conspiracy and dealing in prohibited drugs at the Banjul High Court presided over by Justice Ebrima Jaiteh.
On Wednesday, Vilmar Cabral Roel, Ana Patricia Dos Santos Furtodos, Simara Nadiya Martins, and Miriam Maria Mendes, all Portuguese nationals denied three (3) counts of conspiracy to deal in prohibited drugs, aggravated drug trafficking, and dealing with prohibited drugs.
Seedy Ceesay, Lamin Ceesay, Yaya K. Jatta, and Modou Bojang are standing trial on two counts of conspiracy to deal with prohibited drugs and dealing with prohibited drugs all denied the charges, while Muhammed Jallow denied a single count of conspiracy.
However, Seedy Ceesay, Lamin Ceesay, Yaya K. Jatta, and Modou Bojang were all granted a court bail bond of D600,000 each, and Muhammed Jallow was separately admitted to a bail sum of D300,000.
The State counsels M. Singhateh and M. Sarr did not object to the bail of Seedy Ceesay, Lamin Ceesay, Yaya K. Jatta, Modou Bojang, and Muhammed Jallow.
Justice Ebrima Jaiteh said that Seedy Ceesay, Lamin Ceesay, Yaya K. Jatta, Modou Bojang, and Muhammed Jallow were charged with offences that are bailable in line with Section 99 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
At that juncture, the presiding Judge Ebrima Jaiteh ordered Seedy Ceesay, Lamin Ceesay, Yaya K. Jatta, Modou Bojang, and Muhammed Jallow to provide one Gambia surety who shall swear to an affidavit of means in the sum, stating that the sureties of the accused persons should be an owner of a landed property that should not be less than the bail sum.
Meanwhile, according to the particulars of offence in count one (1) Vilmar Cabral Roel, Ana Patricia Dos Santos Furtodos, Simara Nadiya Martins, and Miriam Maria Mendes on or about the 29th day of June 2024 at Banjul International Airport in West Coast Region of The Gambia and within the jurisdiction of this honourable court had 33kg,600g gross weight of cocaine for trafficking.
The particulars in count two (2) also revealed that Vilmar Cabral Roel, Ana Patricia Dos Santos Furtodos, Simara Nadiya Martins, Miram Maria Mendes, Seedy Ceesay, Lamin Ceesay, Yaya K. Jatta, Modou Bojang, and Muhammed Jallow on or about the 29th day of June 2024 at Banjul International Airport in West Coast Region of The Gambia and within the jurisdiction of this honourable court were dealing in prohibited drug and were involved in the transportation of a prohibited drug.
Lawyer S.K Jobe represented Vilmar Cabral Roel, Ana Patricia Dos Santos Furtodos, Simara Nadiya Martins and Miram Maria Mendes, lawyer A. Jarjue represented Lamin Ceesay, lawyer J. Jorbarteh represented Seedy Ceesay and Muhammed Jallow, lawyer Lamin J. Darboe represented YayaK. Jatta and Modou Bojang.