Policeman Who Shuns ‘18,500 Euro’ Bribe Freed

The magistrates’ court in Banjul on Friday freed a dismissed police officer who had been standing trial there on a false information allegation.
Ebrima Sanneh was put on trial when he allegedly confided in the former Secretary General, Ousman Jammeh, that the police denied him promotion because of his open support to the ruling APRC.
This was after the policeman had addressed a letter to President Yahya Jammeh seeking audience, the prosecution said.
However, Sanneh, who denied any wrongdoing said his letter was congratulatory, not a petition.
He claimed that he only explained the ‘hard work’ he had done while on postings in the president’s native village of Kanilai and his role in the historic discovery of the 2 tonnes of cocaine at Bonto.
“Myself, together with two narcotic officers, arrested three international drug carriers at Brufut in May 2012,” he told The Daily News, after his acquittal.
“We were offered 18,500 Euros by the drug trafficker, but we refused. The drug dealers had since been taken to court and are presently serving their jail terms. This arrest led the NDEA to Bonto where more than two tons of cocaine was found.
“I thank God for the outcome of this trial and I have nothing against the police. I just want to go back to work,” said Mr Sanneh, who has since been dismissed from the Gambia Police Force.
Meanwhile, in a trial that lasted for nine months, Magistrate Ade Taiwo Alagbe has discharged the police officer.  

“Juxtaposing the charge against the accused person vis-à-vis the EXH A1, that is the letter written by the accused dated 30th April, 2011, and taking all the evidence given by the prosecution, this honourable court hereby holds the considered view that the prosecution has failed to establish a prima facie case against the accused,” the magistrate said.
“As such, the accused is hereby discharged,” he declared, “and in law, the discharge in a no case to answer is tantamount to an acquittal.”
The acquittal came after a no-case-to-answer submission filed by the lawyer for the accused, Lamin Sanyang.
The prosecution had argued that the content of the letter was “not a congratulatory, but egoistic information [by the policeman] looking for commendation.
However, Counsel Sanyang said his client did not demand anything in his favour or any other person.