First Class 3248 Lamin S. Camara, the third prosecution witness, last Friday testified in the trial of Juergen Odenwald, General Manager of Ocean Bay Hotel, at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before acting-Principal Magistrate Alagba.
In his testimony, officer Camara told the court that he is a police officer attached to Bakoteh Police Station.
He said on 23 April 2011, he was on duty when Inspector Jatta came to the station, told him about the case and asked him to go with him to Ocean Bay Hotel.
“Upon our arrival at the hotel, Inspector Jatta pointed at the vehicle which he suspected, and instructed us that nobody should touch the vehicle, whilst he went inside the hotel to look for the owner of the vehicle,” officer Camara stated.
PW3 further informed the court that, a few minutes later, Inspector Jatta came out with three men, the manager, his deputy and one security guard.
Inspector Jatta, the witness added, asked all those he went with to join the same vehicle.
Camara explained that upon their arrival with the vehicle at the police station, the vehicle was searched and a plastic bag suspected of cannabis was discovered.
PW3 informed the court that later the manager was escorted to his hotel where a search was conducted, but nothing was found.
He added that the manager was subsequently arrested, and they went back to Bakau Police Station, where the said NDEA officers went back with the other accused.
He said at the Bakau Police Station he gave his statement.
The statement was later tendered in court as exhibit B3.
The case was at that juncture adjourned to 18 August 2011.