Spanish national in court for drug offences

A Spanish national was yesterday arraigned before Principal Magistrates Abeke of the Brikama Magistrates’ Court charged with possession of a prohibited drug.

Jose Marie Aftadill, according to the particulars of offence, was on 12th August 2012 found carrying drugs in Bakau, a charge he admitted.

Defence counsel L. A. Ceesay then applied for bail for the accused person.

He said the accused was arraigned before the court on 7 November 2012, and since then he was remanded due to lack of a Spanish interpreter.

It has been two weeks since the accused was remanded, counsel said, adding that the accused was brought to court on 28 November 2012, and he admitted to the charge.

He said the accused did not waste the court’s time, which according to counsel can only be interpreted as a sign of remorsefulness.

“The accused is yet to be sentenced, and as a result, we applied that he be granted bail, which is a right,” counsel submitted.

“The accused has no flight risk. All his travel documents are in the possession of the NDEA,” counsel stated.

The accused is a foreigner, and the only Gambian friend he had was one Peter Sowe.

In response, the NDEA officer, M.S. Camara, submitted that he agreed with the defence counsel that the offence was bailable.

However, since the accused admitted to the charge, he could not be granted bail, coupled with the fact that the accused person is a foreigner, Camara told the court.

The accused person was, however, granted court bail of D1 million with two Gambian sureties who must have landed property of that value.

The sureties must also be within the Gambia, and they must deposit their valid ID cards.