In Foday Barry and Pa Mbye case, prosecution’s star witness cross-examined

The case involving Pa Habibu Mbye, former crime management coordinator (CMC) at the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA) and Alhaji Foday Barry, former Director of Intelligence and Investigation of the same institution, continued yesterday at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Babucarr Secka.

 It continued with the cross-examination of the fifth prosecution witness, Robert Yaw Danquah, a Ghanaian national who is said to be the principal witness.

The two former senior NDEA members are being tried for the offences conspiracy to defraud, stealing, uttering false documents and abuse of office, among other.

Under cross-examination, Danquah admitted that he was convicted in The Netherlands and later released from prison, then deported to Toronto, Canada.

He added that he was convicted and sentenced to 34 months, which he had already served in The Netherlands in 2004.

Asked by the defence counsel where he was in August 2000, Danquah said he did not know where he was at that period.

Further asked whether it was correct that he was released from prison in Quito, and deported to Colombia, Danquah said “Yes”, that was correct.

He pointed out that he served another four years in prison instead of eight years in Quito, as stated by the counsel.

Counsel further put it to Danquah that he was sentenced to 8 years in prison in Quito, and later deported after serving between four and seven years of his sentence.

However, Danquah insisted that he was sentenced to four years in prison instead of eight years, and that he served the term of the sentence.

He added that he could not remember when the sentenced was passed on him, as it was a long time ago.

When asked by the defence counsel whether he owned any property in his home country, Ghana, Danquah told the court that he only owned a house in Ghana, and also had access to his bank account in Ghana.

When told that his house and bank accounts were frozen by the government of Ghana, Danquah maintained that he had access to his bank account.

Further asked for which offence he was convicted and sentenced many years in The Netherlands and Quito, Danquah told the court that he did not know, because it was a long time ago.

When again told that he was charged and sentenced because of drug-related offences, Danquah denied he had ever been convicted for any drug-related offence.

He denied that his deportation from Colombia was as a result of his operations there.

When told that in his evidence-in-chief he told the court that he was a petty trader, and asked what type of petty trader and his purposes of coming to The Gambia, Danquah told the court that he was engaged in the auto spare parts business.

He told the court that when the NDEA officers arrested him, they did not tell him why he was arrested.

Danquah further told the court that when he went to the first accused person’s office for bail, only the two of them were there.

The case continues today.