Narcotics officer testifies in drug trial

The first prosecution witness (PW1), Mamour Cham, a narcotics officer, recently testified in the trial involving one Lamin Touray, who was accused of conspiracy, possession of prohibited drug for the purpose of trafficking and failure to stop when required to do so.

Testifying before Magistrate Blessed of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court, officer Cham told the court that he recognized the accused when he was brought to Serrekunda Narcotics Station.

He said on 6 August 2016, he was assigned by his station officer to record the cautionary and voluntary statements of the accused person, which he did in the presence of an independent witness.

He explained that he told the functions of the form to the accused, and the accused chose to write his own cautionary statement.

Officer Cham further testified that he read the cautionary statement to the accused in Mandinka, before writing his own cautionary statement.

After he finished writing his statement, he read it in the presence of an independent witness and he also read it, signed and the independent witness also signed.

In the voluntary statement, the accused gave him his details, which he filled in and read the wordings to him in Mandinka, because that was the language he claimed to have understood, the accused signed, the independent witness, Ismaila Jallow, thumb-printed, and he signed.

The case was then adjourned until 26 September 2016.