The criminal charge against the jailed ex-police chief Ensa Badjie, and chief superintendent Tijan Badjie, officer commanding police prosecution Banjul Division, was on 25 October 2012 dropped at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before Principal Magistrate Taiwo Ade Alagbe.
The two were standing trial on a four-count charge of conspiracy to defeat justice, destroying evidence, abuse of office and deceiving witnesses.
Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Tijan Badjie was reported to have been reinstated into the Gambia Police Force.
The prosecution called all their witnesses in support of their case, and the first accused, Essa Badjie, had commenced his defence before the case was dropped.
It would be recalled that Ensa Badjie is currently serving a life imprisonment term at the State Central Prisons Mile 2 after he was convicted by the Special Criminal Court on robbery related-offences.
Ensa Badjie is also presently being tried at the Special Criminal Court Division of the High Court alongside Lt. Col Mam Matarr Secka and Major Kuluteh Manneh under a 51-count charge.
Chief Superintendent Tijan Badjie was arrested in November 2010, and proper trial started in December 2010. He was later dismissed from the force.
Chief Superintendent Badjie was among the longest serving officers at the prosecution unit of the Gambia Police Force, and his arrest and subsequent dismissal from the Gambia Police Force nearly two years ago was in connection with the alleged charges.
According to the particulars of offence on count one, Ensa Badjie and Tijan Badjie, in 2008,] in Banjul, allegedly conspired to falsely accuse Burama Dibba of having committed the offence of giving false information to a public servant before the Banjul Magistrates’ Court.
Count two indicated that Tijan Badjie, in 2008 in Banjul, being a police prosecutor in the case of Inspector General of Police versus Musa Suso before the Bundung Magistrates’ Court, knowing that an investigation report of the panel that investigated the said Musa Suso was required in evidence, willfully concealed same with intent to prevent it from being used in evidence.
Count three also stated that Ensa Badjie and Tijan Badjie, in 2008 in Banjul, being employed in the public service as police officers, abused the authority of their offices and did or directed to be done, arbitrary acts prejudicial to the rights of others to wit maliciously arrested and caused the prosecution of Burama Dibba for the offence of giving false information to a public servant before the Banjul Magistrates’ Court without just cause.
Count four stated that, in 2008 in Banjul, knowing that Musa Suso may be called as a prosecution witness in the case of Inspector General of Police versus Burama Dibba, they deceitfully tried to convince Suso to give evidence against Burama Dibba with intent of affecting his testimony.
