Defence continued on Thursday in the murder case
involving Edrissa Jarju and Edrissa Jaiteh, both former officers of the
National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA), at the Special Criminal Court in
Banjul before Justice Emmanuel Nkea.
The case continued with the cross-examination of the 1st accused, Edrissa Jarju, who told the court he is a narcotics officer, and among his duties, was to effect arrest on the offenders.
"If you receive information you should act on it by visiting the suspect’s place, and you should introduce yourself to him that you are from the NDEA, and you want to conduct a search,” Jarju said.
DW1 further told the court that if the offender was found with drug, they would effect arrest on him, and upon arrival at the police station, the suspect would be charged, and the exhibit that was recovered during the course of the investigation would be kept in their office.
“We have an action diary,” he stated, adding that exhibit A contained his version of the story recorded on 23 January 2011.
He pointed out that before the deceased was detained, he was charged.
During the course of the search, he went on, the deceased was found with suspected cannabis but the charge sheet was taken away by the crowd who attacked them.
He added that the deceased was only put on handcuff when he resisted arrest, but there was no scuffle and the deceased did not fall down, further denying that he did not put his knee on the chest of the deceased, while the 2nd accused was handcuffing him.
“I did not give him a severe blow. I even had the opportunity to flee the country but the only reason why I came voluntarily is because I did not commit any offence. My action did not cause the death of the deceased,” he said.
The case continues.
