By Kemeseng Sanneh (Kexx)
The trial of former Magistrate Ebrima Janko Colley, former court registrar Ridwan Othman, and clerk Mariama Jankey Tamba has resumed at the Kanifing Magistrate Court with two key prosecution witnesses taking the stand. The trio faces charges of theft, fraud, and drug-related offences, all tied to the mysterious disappearance and mishandling of cocaine evidence.
Director of Public Prosecutions A.M. Yusuf appeared for the state, while defence lawyers L.K. Mboge, M.O. Batchilly, and I. Sonko represented the accused. The prosecution called its sixth and seventh witnesses to testify.
First to take the stand was Alieu Nyang, a process server at the Kanifing Magistrate Court with over 10 years of service. Nyang testified that in October 2023, he and his colleague Abdoulie Dampha were instructed by Magistrate Colley and Registrar Othman to move two boxes from the courtroom to Colley’s office.
“We realised that the boxes were damaged at the base, so we used a wheelbarrow to transport them,” Nyang said.
Under cross-examination by Lawyer Isatou Sonko, Nyang confirmed the court had an exhibit store but described it as overcrowded and difficult to access. He noted that he had personally delivered two letters to the Judiciary Secretary requesting a better storage facility.
Asked whether he knew the contents of the boxes, Nyang said: “That was the second time the case came up. I knew through Uthman Raymond, who told me there was cocaine inside.”
He said he never witnessed any misconduct by the accused during his time in the judiciary and was shocked when he heard of the allegations.
Next to testify was Modou Camara, an officer from the Drug Law Enforcement Agency of The Gambia (DLEAG), attached to the Exhibit and Store Unit. Camara described weighing 52 blocks of cocaine in October 2023, noting that the drugs were initially brought to DLEAG in cartons and later found at the court in suitcases.
He explained that after the scientific unit analysed the drugs, they were returned to his supervisor’s office. Camara joined a team that later transported the drugs to the court, where he noted irregularities—some blocks had repeated numbers.
Two weigh-ins were conducted. Camara identified certificates for both, confirming that the same 52 blocks of cocaine had been weighed each time. However, the weights differed—62 kilograms in the first and 55 in the second.
Under cross-examination by Lawyer L.K. Mboge, Camara admitted that he did not know why there was no net weight listed in the weighing certificate and could not explain the difference in total weight. He said the packages were not opened during weighing and were weighed as received.
Despite confirming the packages and wrapping were the same, Camara struggled to explain the weight variation. He also failed to recall the colours of the packages.
The defence questioned the chain of custody. Camara said the drugs were stored in OC Ebrima Jammeh’s office between October 3 and 23 and that only Ngorr Secka and Mau Faal had keys to the store. However, prosecutor Abdoulie Ceesay signed the weight certificate and received the drugs on October 23. Camara insisted Ceesay signed in his role as prosecutor, not as a receiver of the evidence.
The matter was adjourned to Tuesday between 1 and 2 p.m. for continuation.
