By: Nicholas Bass
The first prosecution witness, Lamin YA. Sanneh told the court the thirteen vehicles that were seized by the Joint Investigation Team belonged to Paulo Djabi.
Testifying before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of Banjul High Court, the first prosecution witness Lamin YA. Sanneh said that the 13 vehicles that were seized by the Joint Investigation Team belonged to one Paulo Djabi.
”All the 13 vehicles were suspected to be owned by Paulo”, Sanneh said.
Sanneh, however, stammered when asked by defenselawyer Sheriff M. Tambadou to give the number of people that were at the apartment of Mamadu Neto Djabi’ as he said the only found a lady in Mamadu’s apartment.
Still testifying, Sanneh told the court that he could not remember the names of the 13 vehicles that were seized by the Joint Investigation Team, adding that the said vehicles were identified during their investigations.
At that juncture, defense lawyer Tambadou applied for the court to grant the 2nd accused, Ndadine Ismael De Gou Veira to be granted leave to go to Portugal for Christmas with her family.
The state lawyer M Singateh stood on her feet with an objection stating that there is a flight risk of the accused absconding from the trial, despite having a court bail.
The presiding Judge Jaiteh did not grant the defenseapplication, stating that there were issues that should be looked into before adjourning the matter to next year, January 20.
According to court record, the alleged notorious drug trafficker of Bissau Guinean national, Paulo Djabi, and his alleged female associate Ndadine Ismael De Gou Veira are jointly charged with possession of prohibited drugs and dealing. Paulo Djabi is separately is standing trial for money laundering and currency disclosure, andhis alleged nephew Mamadu Neto Djabi is facing a separate charge of possession of prohibited drugs. Neto Djabi and GouVeira are jointly charged with money laundering.