Ex-IGP Badjie, Drug Trial Star Witness Continues Testimony

The Daily Observer (Banjul)

Sidiq Asemota

11 July 2011

The sedition trial involving the former Inspector General of Police, Ensa Badjie, Mam Matarr Secka and Kuluteh Manneh resumed last Friday, 8th of July 2011 before Justice Emmanuel Amadi of the High Court in Banjul with the 6th prosecution witness, Edrish Abednego Massade continuing his evidence-in-chief.

In his evidence, the 6th witness told the court that Aaron David Wright, Muhammed Ceesay and himself went to Sillaba Samateh’s residence for business and whilst in the residence, Sillaba demanded that Muhammed Ceesay provide 5,000 Euros to help him [Muhammed Ceesay] facilitate the transportation of cocaine to Sierra Leone. The witness revealed that Muhammed Ceesay however provided 3,700 Euros with the equivalent in dalasis. The witness further revealed that Sillaba then made a call and told them that the officer in charge of the logistics would soon arrive.

According to the witness, shortly after Lt Col M.M. Secka, the 2nd accused arrived and Sillaba introduced Secka to them, they had a little chat and Secka left. The witness told the court that some days later, Sillaba invited him and Muhammed Ceesay to accompany him to Lt Col Secka’s residence, but on their arrival at Senegambia junction, Sillaba dropped him from his car and he waited for them. The witness disclosed that when Sillaba returned, he asked Muhammed Ceesay what transpired, but Ceesay informed him that they had given the money and cocaine to Secka. The witness adduced that he also provided the sum of 3,150 Euros to Sillaba for the transportation of cocaine to Senegal.

Trip to Senegal

The witness told the court that he proceeded to Senegal, accompanied by Charles Okeke. He noted that before his departure, Sillaba gave him the telephone number of the 3rd accused, Major Kuluteh Manneh, and upon arrival in Senegal; he (the witness) should call the 3rd accused with the said number. PW6 revealed that on getting to Senegal, he called the number, but there was no response and when he rushed to Pullman Hotel, where Sillaba told him he would meet Kuluteh Manneh, the 3rd accused, he enquired from the receptionist about the 3rd accused, but was told that they have no guest by that name.

The witness further revealed that he called Sillaba and Sillaba informed him that Major Kuluteh Manneh had returned back to The Gambia. PW6 adduced that Sillaba told him by phone that Major Kuluteh left 10kg of cocaine with one Sgt Bah in the said Pullman Hotel and that he should go back to meet Sgt Bah. The witness revealed that he went back to the Hotel and from his enquiry he was told that there was no such guest as Sgt Bah. PW6 disclosed that when he contacted Sillaba and informed him as to what happened, Sillaba replied that he had been informed that Sgt Bah had absconded to Cape Verde with the said 10kg of cocaine. Edrish Massade said Sillaba then asked him to return to The Gambia which he did with Charles Okeke.

Their return to The Gambia

The witness said upon their arrival in The Gambia, they went to Sillaba’s shop around the Brusubi turntable and whilst there, Sillaba made a phone call and informed them that the officer would be around, adding that the officer was coming with 20kg of cocaine due for transportation to Dakar, Senegal. The witness told the court that after a while, a white coloured pick up van with a military police inscription on the side of the vehicle arrived at Sillaba’s construction site in Brusubi. PW6 explained that there were three officers in the car, but the 3rd accused came out and had a discussion with Sillaba.

The witness told the court that Sillaba informed him that the 3rd accused is very busy at the moment, noting that Manneh is on a presidential assignment and that in a few days time, the 3rd accused would be free and be able to transport the 20kg of cocaine to Dakar. The witness said that Sillaba advised him that he should be prepared to accompany them to Dakar and the 3rd accused left after that meeting. The witness further stated that before Major Kuluteh Manneh left, Sillaba called him and asked him his rank.

Edrish Massade disclosed that after that meeting, Charles and himself went to PW5 to report the incident.

Sillaba gives US$14,000 to ex-IGP

The witness further disclosed that a few days later, Sillaba called him and whilst with him, he [Sillaba] counted US$14,000 and put the said sum of money inside a white envelope and told him that the money was for the ex-IGP, Ensa Badjie. The witness revealed that Sillaba told him that Ensa Badjie is coming to him soon to collect the said money. According to him, a few moments later, Ensa Badjie came and collected the said money (US$14,000). The witness explained that Ensa Badjie was dressed in full police regalia and after receiving the said money from Sillaba, Ensa Badjie was escorted to his white coloured Pajero and he drove off.

Witness visit to Sillaba’s house

PW6 adduced that few days later, Sillaba invited him to his house at about 12 midnight and on getting to Sillaba compound, he saw many vehicles parked outside the compound. The witness said whilst he was going inside the compound, he saw one Yusupha Saidy Camara at the compound gate, who asked him what was his mission in Sillaba’s house.

The witness told the court that he informed the said Yusupha S. Camara that he had come to see Sillaba on Sillaba’s invitation. The witness revealed that Yusupha told him that Sillaba is a criminal and that Sillaba has collected US$28,000 from his friend and he accompanied his friend to Sillaba’s house to collect the said US$28,000 from him. The witness disclosed that whilst entering into Sillaba’s house, he met one Musa Jawneh who also told him that Sillaba is very wicked, adding Sillaba owes him one million dalasis (D1, 000,000).

The witness further disclosed that whilst inside Sillaba’s sitting room, he saw one Salim, a Morrocan/Mauritanian national, Salim wife, Sillaba wife, Hawa and one Ousman Bojang. The witness revealed that whilst in their company, he asked Sillaba what was going on but Sillaba replied that he should wait and watch. According to the witness, after a few moments, arguments ensued between Sillaba, Musa Jawneh, Yusupha Saidy Camara and Salim, but thereafter they arrived at a conclusion that Sillaba should handover his car and compound documents to Salim.

PW6 adduced that Sillaba eventually agreed to give his car key and compound documents to Salim. Salim and his wife were escorted out of Sillaba’s house and they both entered Sillaba’s car and drove off. The witness revealed that whilst in Sillaba’s sitting room, Sillaba left them and shortly after, Ousman Bojang and Sillaba’s wife Hawa went to another room and brought out a metal box containing cocaine and left. The witness further revealed that after Ousman Bojang and Hawa left, Sillaba came out from his bedroom and asked for his wife, Hawa but he told Sillaba that they’ve gone out with a metal box. The witness told the court that Sillaba called them and when he asked Sillaba what was going on, Sillaba told him that he had business with Salim, but the business was unsuccessful and that he was going to work it out this time around.

PW5 urges witness to be cautious

The witness further told the court that the following day, he went to PW5, Pa Abibu Mbaye to report to him, adding that PW5 advised him that it is very dangerous for him to go to Sillaba’s house alone, but PW5 insisted that he should always go to Sillaba’s house with Charles Okeke. The witness disclosed that on one of his visits to Sillaba construction site in Brusubi, he went with Charles Okeke and they met the 2nd accused, Lt Col Mam Matarr Secka. The witness explained that after they exchanged pleasantries, Secka told him that he was waiting for Sillaba who was out at the time.

According to PW6, after waiting for a long time, Sillaba came and introduced him to Lt Col Secka whol told him to meet him at his residence. The witness revealed that the following day, he went to PW5, Pa Mbaye who gave him a Nokia mobile phone to record all his discussions with Sillaba. The witness told the court that he went to Sillaba’s Construction site in Brusubi and recorded the discussion he had with Sillaba and one military officer, Amadou Jammeh who was at Sillaba’s construction site also recorded the discussions he had with Ousman Bojang. The witness adduced that after recording the aforementioned people he went to PW5, Pa Mbaye and gave him the recorder.

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