Two more witnesses yesterday testified in the case
involving Mbye Njie, former director of operations at the National Drug
Enforcement Agency, at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before Principal
Magistrate Taiwo Ade Alagbe.
Mbye Njie was charged with four counts, including official corruption and abuse of office.
The fourth prosecution witness (PW4), Chief Inspector Pa Modou Jarra, station officer at Holgam investigation unit, said he recognised the accused person, as they were colleagues at the same agency, as the then director of operations at the NDEA.
Asked by the Director of Public Prosecutions whether he had any special relationship with the accused person, Jarra told the court that they were only colleagues, as narcotics officers, working in the same agency.
He said that some time in 2011, the accused person was brought before him to give cautionary and voluntary statements, adding that before obtaining the statements from Njie, he read the cautionary wording to him in the presence of an independent witness.
Officer Jarra further told the court that Holgam is an NDEA investigation unit, which investigates cases based on the directives received from the relevant authorities, and they have directors and commissioners.
He added that charges were also preferred against the accused person based on the directive they received from superior officers, but the accused denied all the charges.
He said he would recognize the statements. The DPP subsequently applied to tender them, but the defence counsel objected on the grounds that they had no relevance to the case.
However, counsel’s objection was overruled by the trial magistrate, who admitted and tendered them as exhibits.
Also testifying was the fifth prosecution witness (PW5), ASP Modou Jobe, station officer at the Banjul Police Station.
He told the court that he knew Pa Sering Mboob as station officer Banjul Central Station.
Asked whether he knew one Sarjo Jallow, ASP Jobe told the court that they were having one Sarjo Jallow in their custody, and the case file was assigned to Ndongo Gaye, who later complained to him that he found it difficult to reach Sarjo Jallow.
ASP Jobe added that the office of the prosecution later complained to their superiors at the NDEA, about the whereabouts of the accused, Sarjo Jallow.
He said they were later advised to look for the bail bond, which they did, and a few days later, the sureties reported to them at the NDEA in Banjul.
Officer Jobe added that the sureties came with D35, 000 to settle the case of Sarjo Jallow with Sheriff Sanyang, who is currently on peacekeeping mission in Liberia.
The said D35, 000 was later taken to the finance department of the NDEA for safekeeping, and the statements were obtained from the sureties, he said, adding that the said D35, 000 had nothing to do with a plea bargain.
The D35, 000 was tendered in evidence and marked as an exhibit.
The case was then adjourned till 18 and 20 September 2012.
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