Defence closes in Foday Barry criminal trial

This was after the testimony of the defence witness three (DW3), one Ousman Sarr, a narcotics officer attached to Kalagi Police Station.

Foday Barry is being tried for alleged theft, which he had denied.

Continuing testimony under cross-examination, officer Sarr told the court that he is a narcotics officer attached to Kalagi Police Station, adding that prior to his transfer to the police station, he was working under the accused person at Holgam investigation unit in Kanifing, which is operating directly under the Office of the President.

According him, he knew one Robert Yaw Danquah, when Danquah was detained at Holgam, while he (the witness) was working under the accused person.

He said he was at Holgam when Robert Danquah was arrested and brought to Holgam in Kanifing.

Her said at first he did not know why he was arrested and detained.

“I later received information that Danquah had been in the NDEA’s net for a long time, for allegedly being involved in drug dealing with other partners,” he said.

Asked by the police prosecutor, sub-inspector Manga, whether he was part of the investigation team after his arrest at Holgam, DW3 told the court that he was not part of the investigating team, and that the only connection he had with Danquah was to escort him anytime when he was needed at the office of the accused person, at the time.

“As a sergeant at that time, my role was not only to escort prisoners, but at theHolgam there is nothing like a specific role for any officer as the director can assigned you any work,” he added.

The police prosecutor further put it to him that the information he gave was misleading, and wondered how in an institution like NDEA, one could just wake up to work without knowing his or her daily tasks.

However, the witness insisted that at the NDEA the director had the overall say, and could assign anybody any task at any given time.

DW5 insisted that his information was not misleading, as he took an oath and that he spoke nothing but the truth.

Officer Sarr also told the court that may be other officers could have escorted Danquah to the office of the accused person, but he did also escort him to that office.

“I am always present when I escort him to the office of the accused. I cannot remember an occasion when I escorted him and I left him there alone in the office of the accused person,” said Sarr.

Further asked by the prosecutor who was the investigating officer, he said he could only remember one Lamin Gassama.

He further told the court that Danquah alone could not go to the office of the accused person, without being escorted.

The case was then adjourned to 18 November 2013.