PW 10 Testifies in Cocaine 9 Trials

FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)

Mamadou Dem

10 May 2011

Lamin Gassama a narcotic officer attached to the Holgam Unit of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA) on Wednesday 4th May continued to testify in the ongoing multibillion dollar cocaine case.

Continuing his evidence in chief, Gassama told the court that eighty five bags of suspected cocaine were evacuated from the bunker and a panel was asked to come with Rudy Ghazi, and Juan Carlos Sanchez ( first and second accused persons). He said when they came while the eighty five bags of suspected cocaine were still in the warehouse, both accused persons were shown the bags as what was discovered in the bunker in their warehouse. He said from there all the bags were loaded into three pickups and transported to the NDEA head office in Banjul under armed escort. Were you part of that escort? Asked DPP. “Yes” replied the witness, adding that he boarded in one of the Pickups and when they arrived at the NDEA all the bags were off loaded and placed in a store which was locked with five pad locks and the keys were distributed among five securities agents operating in the Gambia.

Gassama further explained to the court that Exhibit B1 (a Vehicle) belongs to the second accused person and at the time of his arrest on the 13th of May 2010 at the Cocoa Ocean Hotel, he was in possession of the said Vehicle, which he drove to his point of arrest. He added that investigations reveal that the second accused was driving this Vehicle when officers intercepted him and asked him to step down and arrested him. He said since then the Vehicle was brought to the NDEA and kept at the Head quarters in custody of the Agency until when they were asked to bring the vehicle to court which he said was parked outside the court. When asked about the colour of the Vehicle by the Director of Public Prosecutions Mikailu Abdullah, the witness told the court that the colour of the vehicle is green and it is a four Wheel drive. He said he can identify the said vehicle.

At this juncture the DPP applied for the court to move and inspect the vehicle, the Vehicle with the registration number KM 8738A.

The DPP applied to tender the said vehicle in evidence as exhibit, but Camara stood up and told the court that he was objecting on the grounds that the court had move to what may be called at that time locust to inspect rest and no evidence was led for the rest in respect of the vehicle and the witness did not identify it. “No evidence has been led on the rest,” said Camara. The DPP in response told the court that it is wrong to say that no evidence was lead on the rest and insisted that he did ask the witness at the locust whether it was the vehicle on Exhibit B1 and he urged the court to overruled the objection.

The presiding Magistrate overruled the objection and the said Vehicle with registration number KM 8738 A was admitted in evidence and marked as Exhibit W. The Magistrate ruled that due to lack of Space at the court, the Vehicle be kept in the custody of the NDEA.

Hearing continues on Thursday 5th May 2011.

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