The trial of the multimillion-dollar-cocaine case involving nine foreign nationals continued yesterday at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before acting-Principal Magistrate Taiwo Alagba.
The nine accused persons are: Ephraim Michael Chiduben (a Nigerian national), Juan Carlos Sanchez, Eric Bottini, Dose Fermin, Juan Carlos Diaz, Esteaban Zavala (all Venezuelan nationals), George Sanchez (a Mexican/Liberian national), Rudy Rasoehamid Gazi, and Dennis Wilgo Winter (both Dutch nationals).
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to traffic in prohibited drugs, trafficking in drugs, dealing in prohibited drugs, having firearm without authority, importation of firearm without authority, among others.
Testifying, police officer Bakary Bojang, the fourteenth prosecution witness (PW14), told the court that he recorgnised the accused persons in connection with the case.
He added that he obtained cautionary statements from the 1st, 4th, 6th and 8th accused persons in the presence of an independent witness by the name Babucarr Khan.
Officer Bojang added that he read the cautionary wording to the accused persons in the language they understand and they signed, the independent witness signed and he also endorsed the statements.
The prosecutor at that juncture applied to tender the statements, which were admitted and marked as exhibits without any objection from the defence counsel, L.S. Camara.
The witness told the court that he knew Babucarr Khan as a carpenter.
The case continues.
