One Ousman Njie, said to be an NDEA informant, was recently arraigned before Magistrate Drammeh of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court, charged with impersonation of a name in certificate contrary to the laws of The Gambia, a charge he has denied.
Testifying for the prosecution, Inspector Lamin Jatta, a narcotics officer, attached to Kariaba Police Station, told the court he could remember on 31 March 2011 at Kanifng Estate and he could recognise the accused person as an NDEA informant.
“We were about to go on patrol when the accused person arrived with one Sergeant Trawally, who informed me that the accused is a very good informant,” Inspector Jatta told the court.
He testified that they went with the accused to Kanifing Estate on board a vehicle and whilst on board the vehicle he (the accused) was making a telephone conversation.
“Upon arrival at a compound, the accused person alighted from the vehicle and a fake pistol and a handcuff dropped from him, which was discovered by Inspector Saikou Jammeh,” the witness further explained.
The accused was then arrested and taken to the Kairaba Police Station, he said, adding that a search was conducted on him and some suspected cannabis was found with him together with a police warrant bearing the name Lamin Manjang.
Asked whether the accused explained how the aforesaid items came to his possession, the witness said the accused declined to explain and was then charged and placed in cell for further interrogation.
Still testifying, Inspector Jatta told the court that the accused was later handed to the police headquarters.
The witness said the limitation of the informant was to give information to one another on telephone.
At that juncture the prosecuting officer, CPL 3560 Colley, applied to tender a toy pistol, handcuff and a police warrant in the name of Lamin Manjang, which was identified by the witness and collectively tendered and admitted as exhibits.
He said his statement was recorded at the police station.
The case continues on 1 June 2011.
The charge leveled against the accused was that in March 2011, at Kanifing, the accused, Ousman Njie, was found in possession of a toy pistol, handcuff and a police warrant card in the name of Lamin Manjang and falsely represented himself to be a police officer to wit, carrying out some police duties.
