State To Call 8 More Witnesses in Ex-Drug Chief & Co Trial

By Binta A Bah

The state intends to call eight more witnesses to testify against the five ex-top anti drug officers, including the executive director, Bun Sanneh, who are facing multiple criminal indictments at the High Court in Banjul, the deputy director of public prosecution, M. Abdullah disclosed in court on Monday. 
The former of National Drug Enforcement Agency boss, Ibrahim Bun Sanneh, his deputy Karamo Bojang, operations commander, Ousman Sanneh, the officer commanding finance, Seedy Bojang, and Mary Sanneh, the only female, are accused of among others, corruption and drugs, but they denied the charges.
Meanwhile the state witness no. 9, Saikouba Jammeh, a drug enforcement officer, who had admitted seeing pellets of cocaine in the vehicle of second accused Karamo Bojang, was Monday cross-examined by one of the defense counsels, Pap Cheyassin Secka.
“You have proven yourself to be an inveterate lair,” senior lawyer Secka, told the witness, but he denied telling lies in court. According to him, he could not ascertain whether what he saw in Bonjang’s vehicle was cocaine. But he said he made an effort to contact the anti drug officers at Denton Bridge (while Bojang was on his way-out), but proved futile.
He also denied being under close monitoring at the NDEA headquarters but said 3rd accused person Ousman Sanneh testified against him at the narcotic court. He also denied making any statement voluntarily before taken to court.
The witness refused to give the name of the exhibit store keeper at the NDEA for security reasons. 
“But you can disclose your name as Saikouba Jammeh and a narcotic officer?” Secka asked. “Yes” said Jammeh.
Lawyer Kebba Sanyang was denied by the judge to cross-examine the witness because the judge said Secka who is leading Sanyang has already cross-examined the witness.

Trial continues on 10th January 2011