The suspect, commonly known as (Alhagie Tamba) was arrested last Friday 29 May 2020 by narcotic officers. He has now been granted bail as investigation into the matter continues.
A source who is familiar with the matter and spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity confirmed the development to The Point.
Our source added: “Operatives of the DLEAG raided Mr. Belo’s compound and discovered two bags containing some quantity of suspected cannabis and what was suspected to be human skull together with skeletons. The suspect was subsequently arrested and taken to custody for questioning.”
“A donkey driver claimed to have received what was thought to be charcoal from a taxi driver at the Farafenni Garage for onward delivery to the suspect’s mother. The donkey driver claimed that the two bags were initially thought to be charcoal belonging to the suspect’s mother.”
Our reporter has been reliably informed that when the news about Alhagie’s arrest went viral, some inhabitants around the area went to the Farafenni Police Station demanding for his immediate release.
They claimed that the suspect was set-up by one marabout within the area. However, personnel of the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) were later called for reinforcement to disperse the crowd.
The donkey driver, our source said, was also invited for questioning. He was detained for some time and later granted bail.
Ousman Saidybah, the spokesperson of the DLEAG who was contacted for comments confirmed the arrest and detention of the suspect. He was, however, quick to add that the matter was still under investigation.
Alhagie Belo, who spoke to our reporter in an interview, denied ownership of the suspected drugs and what is believed to be a human skull with skeletons.
Commenting on how the incident happened, he said that it was last Friday 29 May 2020 when two people come to their compound and asked for his mother. “I told them that my mother travelled to Kombo. They claimed that the two bags which they brought through the donkey cart belonged to my mother. In fact, I thought the bags were containing charcoal. I lifted the bags and took them to my mother’s bathroom without even looking what was inside the bags.”
“Immediately, the donkey driver and another person who accompanied him (donkey driver) left our compound, officers of the DLEAG arrived in our compound and said they suspect that there was some cannabis in the compound. My uncle who is the compound owner asked them to search everywhere in the compound. However, after a massive search, the DLEAG officers couldn’t find any suspected drugs.”
Alhagie Belo added: “As DLEAG officers attempted to leave the compound I told them that two people brought two bags of charcoal and the charcoal were at my mother’s bathroom. The DLEAG officers searched the bags and found the cannabis in one of the bags while the other bag was containing a skull of which I didn’t know what kind of skull with some skeletons they were.”
The DLEAG officers, he noted, handcuffed him and took him to the Farafenni Police Station. “However, the bag containing the skull was left behind. When one of my brothers visited me at the station I told him that the officers left one bag at the compound which was containing a skull with some skeletons and I don’t know what kind of skull it was.”
According to him, the DLEAG later went back with his brother and brought the other bag containing the skull. “I can tell you that I didn’t know what was inside the bags. If I knew the bags were containing some cannabis, I would have not even received them; talk less of informing the officers that there were two bags of charcoal that was brought in our compound. I believe this was just a set-up for me.”
Meanwhile, The Point has learned that the police in Farafenni have contacted the police Scientific Unit in Banjul for them to ascertain whether the skull together with skeletons were human or not.
