Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia – The trial of former Magistrate Ebrima Janko Colley, former court registrar Ridwan Othman, and court clerk Mariama Jankey Tamba resumed on Monday, with the prosecution presenting its sixth and seventh witnesses. The three accused are facing multiple charges, including theft, fraud, and drug-related offenses, following allegations of missing cocaine evidence.

The case has drawn significant attention within the judiciary due to the serious nature of the accusations against a former magistrate and court officials.

Judiciary Staff Details Movement of Boxes Containing Exhibit

The first prosecution witness to take the stand was Alieu Nyang, a process server at the Kanifing Magistrate Court for the past ten years. Nyang testified that in October 2023, he and another individual, Abdoulie Dampha, were instructed by Magistrate Colley and Registrar Othman to move two boxes from the courtroom to Magistrate Colley’s office.

“I was just returning from the mosque after 2 p.m. prayers when I received the instruction,” Nyang said, adding that he used a wheelbarrow to transport the boxes with assistance from colleague Abdoulie Dampha.

Under cross-examination, Nyang clarified that the base of the boxes was damaged, making them unstable to lift. “We realized that the base boxes were damaged or destroyed, and we took a wheelbarrow to carry them to magistrate Colley and later returned to our various offices,” Nyang told the court.

When questioned about the court’s exhibit store, Nyang described it as “not that good” and recalled previous requests for a better facility due to the volume of exhibits, making access difficult. “Everything was scattered,” he said.

Nyang also stated that he knew the contents of the boxes to be cocaine, as informed by Registrar Othman.

When asked by lawyer Sonko if he had ever witnessed any misconduct by the accused during his tenure, Nyang replied in the negative. He expressed surprise upon hearing the allegations against his former superiors, adding that “anything can be possible in the country.”

DLEAG Officer Testifies on Weighing and Storage of Suspected Cocaine

The prosecution’s seventh witness was Modou Camara, an officer from the Drug Law Enforcement Agency of The Gambia (DLEAG) attached to the Exhibit and Store. Camara recounted the handling and weighing of 52 blocks of cocaine in October 2023. Upon arrival, the exhibit was placed in a secure safe managed by senior officers, including the Deputy Director General. “There’s a bigger safe where the exhibit was kept, and only top officers have access. After that, the blocks were taken back to Burama Jammeh’s office,” Camara explained. He stated that the cocaine was initially weighed at the DLEAG office before being transported to the Kanifing Magistrate Court.

He further testified that he later joined a team to take the blocks to the Kanifing Magistrate Court. Upon arrival, Registrar Othman led them to the store where the cocaine blocks, now in suitcases instead of the original carton, were counted. Camara noted that some of the numbers on the blocks were repeated. He also mentioned a second weighing of the 52 blocks was conducted, and a weigh-in certificate was issued.

Concerns Over Judicial Transparency and Evidence Handling

During cross-examination by Senior Lawyer L. Mboge, representing one of the accused, discrepancies in the weight of the cocaine blocks between the two weighings were highlighted. Camara struggled to explain the difference, stating that if it were the same exhibit and package, the weight should be the same. He also claimed not to remember the color of the packages containing the cocaine.

Camara confirmed the exhibits were in DLEAG custody for approximately 20 days and were kept in the office of OC Ebrima Jammeh, though Jammeh did not have keys to the exhibit store.

The court also heard conflicting testimonies regarding who received the exhibits when they were moved from the DLEAG to the Kanifing court. While Camara identified Abdoulie Ceesay, a prosecutor, as the signatory on the weight book upon arrival at the court, he maintained that Ceesay did not physically receive the exhibits from the DLEAG store.

The case continues today at 1-2 pm for further hearings still under Justice Aryee. The testimonies of the two witnesses today raised several questions regarding the handling, storage, and chain of custody of the alleged missing cocaine evidence, which are central to the charges against the former magistrate and court officials.