State counsel Lamin Jarju attempted to tender in courtthe MDMA drug found in the house of one of the alleged drug dealers, Mamadu Neto Djabi (3rd accused), but after an objection by the defence counsel that the substance intended to be tendered was much more than what was initially recorded by the witness as evidence, the state counsel had to withdraw the evidence of the drug substance he meant to tender.
The witness, Lamin Y.A. Sanneh, handed over the substance wrapped in a black plastic bag and concealed in a Marlboro cigarette packet,and confirmed it was the same MDMA substance found in the apartment of the 3rd accused.
When the State counsel L. Jarju asked the witness about the form of the substance, the witness said the substance was in powder form.
State counsel Jarju therefore sought to tender the substance into evidence. However, Defence lawyer Tambadou objected to the substance being tendered, saying the witness said the substance was in powder form, when what was actually contained in the cigarette packet was some powder, crystals and stone.
He added that the witness did not mention in his initial testimonies that the substance involved other drugs called crystal and stone which were part of the substances wrapped in the black plastic bag.
“We are not objecting to the powder but objecting to the stone and crystal, as they were not mentioned by the witness,” Tambedou stated.
Counsel Lamin Jarju, in response, informed the court to withdraw the application to tender the substance.
It would be recalled that the witness Lamin Y.A Sanneh said the reports of the drugs found in the house of the 1st and 2nd accused (Paulo Djabi and Nadine Pereira) were analytically prepared.
Counsel Jarju handed over the reports to be identified by the witness, who admitted those were the reports.
The witness further indicated that the reports bore the name and signature of the analytical officer.
The case was adjourned until 11 November 2024.
