One Yusupha Darboe, who is on trial for the offence of offering charms, recently opened his defence at the Banjul Magistrates' Court before Principal Magistrate Emmanuel Nkea.
Yusupha Darboe, said to be an in-law to Ibrahim Bun Sanneh, former Executive Director of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA), testified that sometime in the month of April 2010 his wife, Marie Sanneh, was arrested and detained at the Mile 2 Central Prison.
He adduced that at the time of her arrest, she was four months pregnant, and had a miscarriage while in detention.
"On 14th May 2010, I went to Mile 2 Central Prison to visit my wife who was in detention. Before going I prepared some food and medicine locally, called "Tafoo," he told the court.
"This medicine," he added, "was to help her with regards to her miscarriage, and the medicine was from her in-laws."
He told the court that upon his arrival at the prison's reception section, the prison authorities asked him to wait for sometime. "While waiting the officer on duty demanded to check into his nylon bag where the food and medicine were kept," he stated, and some minutes later, Marie came to him escorted.
Mr. Darboe said while they were chatting, he handed over the nylon bag to her, and she took the food and medicine out.
Further testifying, Mr. Darboe told the court that, thereafter Marie asked him how to apply the medicine, but before he could explain to her, the escorting officer demanded for the medicine, subsequently took it and handed it over to another prison officer.
He added that the escorting officer then informed him that charms are not allowed in the prison.
Subsequently, he said the escorting officer was ordered to return Marie to the female wing.
"And I was subsequently taken into custody, and kept at the remand wing for three nights without food," he adduced.
Mr. Darboe, who said he is a resident of Lamin village in the Western Region, told the court that the medicine was not meant for protection or to delay the proceedings of the court, but to help with her miscarriage.
The case was then adjourned to 18th July 2010 for continuation of hearing.
Lawyer PCO Secka represented Mr. Darboe.
