NDEA Commissioner Ebrima Jammeh alias Kungi, was yesterday cross-examined in the trial 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.
Testifying under cross-examination, the second defence witness (DW2), Commissioner Ebrima Jammeh, told the court that he had been working with the NDEA for nearly three years now.
He admitted under cross-examination that he had also worked for the Gambia Police Force prior to being an NDEA officer.
He pointed out that he was working directly under the accused person, as officer commanding Holgam investigation unit.
Commissioner Jammeh added that the accused person was the director of investigation and intelligence, adding that he knew PW5, Robert Yaw Danquah, and PW4, Ousman Drammeh.
He said the accused person called him into his office and asked him to count the said money, which he did.
Asked by the prosecutor after counting the said money how much was the total amount, the NDEA Commissioner told the court that it amounted to D1, 080,000 and this was what he recorded at the NIA.
Asked further whether he would be surprised to know that D850, 000 was recorded at the NIA, he said, “Yes, I will be surprised.”
He said he would still stand by what he had said, regarding the amount of money.
Commissioner Jammeh further adduced that after counting the money, it was put into the office safe before taking it to the NIA.
He added that the said safe had two keys, and one could not open it without the other person.
Asked by the police prosecutor whether he knew Robert Danquah, Commissioner Jammeh replied in the affirmative.
He said he knew Danquah, who was involved in a drug-related matter, and later managed to escape from custody.
Further asked by the prosecutor whether it would be correct that the accused person himself, as director of investigation, was the one directly investigating, and that nobody could access the file apart from him, WD2 said he did not know about that.
He said when Danquah escaped, the agency later learned that Danquah was in his home country, in Ghana.
He was never aware that Danquah was arraigned before the court, he said, stating that it would not be possible when investigating the matter to do it alone, without the involvement of even an escorting officer.
He added that he could not say whether the accused and Danquah had a private discussion prior to his escape.
The prosecutor asked him whether he knew one Ousman Drammeh, PW4, who told the court that the accused person demanded 200,000 Euros before granting bail to Danquah, to which DW2 said it could be possible, but he was not aware of that.
The case was then adjourned till 4 June 2013.
