Defence opened recently in the theft case involving Alhagie Foday Barry, former director of intelligence and investigation at the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA), at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before acting Principal Magistrate Dawda Jallow.
The defence opened with the testimony of the first defence witness (DW1), Commissioner Ebrima Jammeh, former officer commanding Holgam investigation unit, in Kanifing.
Commissioner Jammeh told the court that he resides in Tallinding in the Kanifing Municipality, and is a narcotics officer currently attached to Mansakonko Police Station.
He added that he knew the accused person, as he (Commissioner Jammeh) was working under him at Holgam as officer commanding.
He said he knew one Ebrima Drammeh and Robert Yaw Danquah, and obtained a cautionary statement from Danquah.
“Sometime last year, I was called upon by the accused person to his office. Upon my arrival, he showed me two black bags containing money in the presence of the arresting officers,” Commissioner Jammeh said.
“I was asked by the accused person to count the said money in the presence of all the arresting officers, including Pa Modou Jarra, the station officer at Holgam, and it amounted to D1,080, 000. The accused person asked me to put the said money in the safe, which I did in the presence of all the arresting officers,” he added.
Jammeh said the said safe had two keys, wherein the other party could not open the safe without the consent of the other.
He added that a few months later, the accused person was arrested and the key was handed over to him for safe-keeping
Still testifying, Commissioner Jammeh pointed out that one day he received directives that the money should be paid to the Ministry of Justice.
Asked by the defence counsel whether apart from the two bags containing money he did see anything on the table of the accused person, Commissioner Jammeh told the court that he did not see any other thing on the table, apart from the said two bags.
The case was then adjourned till 16 April 2013.
