My boss gave me cannabis to throw away- Narcotics officer tells court

Dodou Bojang a narcotics officer on Tuesday told the court that his boss, Chief Inspector Jerreh Jarju, the first accused, gave him a wrap of cannabis to throw away.

The prosecution's first witness, Dodou Bojang, was testifying on Tuesday at the Brikama Magistrates' Court in the trial of Jerreh Jarju and Samba Camara.

The duo are charged with official corruption, public officer receiving property to show favour, abuse of office, conspiracy to commit misdemeanor and destroying evidence. They denied the charges.

PW1 Dodou Bojang told the court that he is narcotics officer attached to Sibanor Police Station, and that he knew the accused persons.

According to PW1, sometime in May 2010, he was on official duty at the charge office when the 1st accused (Chief Inspector Jerreh Jarju) called and asked him to go behind the window, which he did.

Mr. Bojang revealed that upon going to the window, Jarju gave him a wrap of cannabis to throw away.

He said he asked Jarju the purpose of throwing the wrap of cannabis, but Jarju told him to do as instructed.

He added that after throwing the cannabis, he then called one immigration officer Sanneh, and explained the matter to him.

PW1 went on to inform the court that, on the following day, he received a telephone call from the first accused person who told him that the matter was under investigation. Jarju said if he was called and asked whether he (1st accused) gave him cannabis to throw away, let him say "No".

The 1st accused, he added, further told him that even if they promised to promote, dismissed or even kill him let him do him a favour by telling them "No".

The witness said he told Jarju that he could not do them a favour and put himself in trouble, and that he subsequently switched off his phone to stop communicating with the 1st accused.

Under cross-examination, PW1 told the court that he is working under the 1st accused person.

When asked by defence counsel Kebba Sanyang for how long, the witness said for almost one year.

Counsel again asked who is the station officer currently at the Sibanor Police Station, and the witness said one Sgt. Lamin J. Sanyang.

When pressed further by counsel Sanyang to state the quantity of the alleged wrap of cannabis, the witness said, "I don't know".

PW1further said under cross-examination that the cannabis was wrapped in cement paper, and that he had opened the wrap before throwing it away.

The witness maintained that he saw cannabis when he opened it, and that he knows it because he is a narcotics officer.

Asked by counsel whether when they arrest people with cannabis, they normally take it for scientific test, the witness said, "Yes".

Further asked whether the wrap the accused gave him was taken for scientific test, the witness responded in the negative.

Counsel then put it to him that what he allegedly threw away has not been tested to confirm whether it was cannabis. But the witness insisted it was cannabis.

Counsel Sanyang asked the witness whether he can produce the scientific report to confirm that what he allegedly threw away was cannabis, and the witness said, "No".

The case was adjourned to 3rd September 2010 for continuation.