By Kemeseng Sanneh (Kexx)
Pa Modou Njie, the former Principal Magistrate at the Bundung Magistrates’ Court, has been arraigned before the Banjul High Court Annexe, facing serious charges of drug dealing and official corruption.
Njie, who had previously been arraigned before the Bundung Magistrates’ Court, saw his case struck out due to what the court deemed a lack of diligent prosecution. However, the State Law Office has now filed a bill of indictment, bringing the charges to the high court, where Justice Sonia Akinbiyi is presiding over the matter.
The first charge accuses Njie of dealing in prohibited drugs, in violation of Section 33(d) of the Drug Control Act, punishable under Section 33(3)(b). According to the prosecution, between August 16 and August 22, 2023, while serving as Principal Magistrate at the Bundung Magistrates’ Court, Njie allegedly had possession of 104 blocks of cocaine. These blocks, the State claims, were forfeited drug exhibits from the case of DLEAG v. Abdoulie Saidyba and Ndey Jatta. The charges suggest that Njie falsely assumed the role of an exhibit keeper without lawful authority, misappropriating the drugs.
In addition to the drug-related charge, Pa Modou Njie faces a second count of official corruption, under Section 86(a) of the Criminal Code. The State alleges that on October 16, 2024, Njie solicited and received a sum of D70,000 from one Michael Ezee (also known as “Chairman”), in exchange for influencing his judicial decisions in criminal cases he was overseeing at the time. The bribery charge further deepens the gravity of the accusations against the former magistrate, who held a significant position within the country’s judiciary.
Njie’s defense team has yet to respond to the charges, and the case remains under active investigation.
The court proceedings are expected to draw significant attention, as the country grapples with the issues of corruption and drug trafficking that have long plagued its public institutions.
