By: Nicholas Bass
The state’s second prosecution witness, Burama Jammeh in the ongoing criminal trial of three judiciary officials on Wednesday told the court that the former principal registrar of Kanifing Magistrates’ Court, Ridwan Othman told him that the 52 blocks of cocaine were transferred into two suitcases.
Testifying before Justice Sarah Aryee of Banjul High Court, Jammeh said that Othman told scientific narcotic officials of the transfer of the 52 blocks of cocaine which according to him were in ”two suitcases” at the time of their preliminary test at Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.
According to Jammeh, the 52 blocks of cocaine were drugs belonging to one Bocar Hamet Salla, a convicted drug trafficker, adding that before Salla’s conviction and sentence, the drugs were stored at the national anti-drug control agency.
Jammeh said that he called the deputy director and the director of operations of DLEAG to come over, explaining that there was no one having the keys to the safe (store) where the 52 blocks of cocaine should be kept.
” I called them to come for them to open the safe for the exhibit to be kept”, Jammeh explained.
He stated that the 52 blocks of cocaine were stored in the presence of the arresting officer, accused, and the prosecuting officer, Abdoulie Ceesay, adding that the drugs were at DLEAG until the time it was presented to magistrate Ebrima Janko Colley as exhibits.
When asked by defense lawyer Musa OS. Batchilly, to explain why magistrate Ebrima Janko Colley and Maraiama Jankeh Tamba did not sign the weighment certificate in June 2024, Jammeh said that at the time they were not formally charged.
Jammeh further stated that Othman signed in his capacity as the principal registrar of Kanifing Magistrates’ Court at the time, stating that he was only instructed by a panel to test the 52 blocks of cocaine.
According to court records the former principal registrar of Kanifing Magistrates’ Court, Ridwan Othman, and magistrate Ebrima Janko Colley are standing trial on conspiracy to commit a felony, theft, dealing in prohibited drugs, fraud, and breach of trust whilst the court clerk, Mariama Jankeh Tamba stands accused of neglect of official duty.
