‘NIA Officers Tortured My Men’

fired NDEA Chief Bun Sanneh

Ebrima Bun Sanneh, former executive director of National Drug Enforcement Agency has told the Special Criminal Division of the High Court in Banjul that National Intelligence officers have tortured his men, anti drug officers for obstructing what was infact in their domain (drug).
“Lamin Kabou, who managed to escape was screaming when he rushed into my office naked, blood all over his body with wounds,” Bun Sanneh told the court yesterday as he defends against multiple charges levied against him.
He is standing trial alongside four former top anti-narcotic officials, Karamo Bojang, his deputy, Ousman Sanneh, operations commander, Seedy  Bojang and Marie Sanneh the only female are facing 30 counts of corruption and drug related charges at high court in Banjul. They all pleaded not guilty.
“They (NIA) were about to kill me” Bun heard Lamin said while on the floor..
He added: “I called Lamin Bo Badjie, then Director General of NIA and informed him, but he hang up the phone.
“After some minutes, Alhajie Morr Jobe and Ebrima Drammeh, all intelligence officers forcefully entered my office. My commander wanted to arrest them, but I intervened.”
Bun further told the court that Alhaji Morr Jobe told him that he was after his prisoner, Lamin Kabou who was still lying on the floor.

Embattled ex-NDEA Chief Bun Sanneh Put up Defence

 

Embattled ex-NDEA Chief Bun Sanneh

Although his ordeal is far from over, the appearance of embattled ex-anti drug chief, who has been widely rumoured dead, was a sigh of relief to the sea of nervous family members and sympathisers.
Appearing in a not-so-bad mental and physical shape, Ibrahim Bun Sanneh, attired in a modest Kaftan showed up at the High Court in Banjul in the escort of state security services from the country’s central prison, Mile Two, where he is being remanded, and where two people came out dead in two weeks.
The former executive director of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA) is facing multiple criminal charges alongside four of his juniors – Seedy Bojang, his deputy, Ousman Sanneh, operations commander and Mary Sanneh.
The charges against the five former top anti-narcotic agents, who were fired last year in the wake of the saga, include corruption, theft, illegal possession of firearms, drugs, among others. They all pleaded not guilty.
Several witnesses had testified for the state. On Monday, it was Ibrahim Bun Sanneh turn to clear himself of the allegations on which if found guilty, could land them in jail for several years.
According to the former anti-drug chief, at some point during his time as head of the anti drug agency, there was a conflict of interest with the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
This, he revealed, started when Alhaji Morr Jobe was deployed from the NIA to NDEA as Operations Commander.

Bun Sanneh: 'Mmang Fa Folodeh' - I’m Not Dead Yet

Bun Sanneh

Saddened and depressed, Mrs Mariama Sanneh's face bore hardness at the sight of her embattled husband put in chains and shackles at the High Court in Banjul yesterday, but she was able to put up a wry smile 
Her husband, Ebrima Bun Sanneh, former chief of The Gambia’s anti drug agency was wildly rumored dead on Monday.
Facing trial for multiple crimes which he denied, Mr Sanneh alongside four of his former senior colleagues is being remanded at Gambia’s Central Prison pending the outcome of their high profile trial.
The former NDEA chief was in a prison where information rarely leaks in or out, but he has apparently heard of the rumour of his death, which came the day the body of former majority leader of parliament, Baba Jobe, who had been kept at the same prison, was released for burial.
“Mmang faa folodeh,” - (I am not dead yet) the embattled anti-drug chief told his wife when he emerged from the courtroom at the end of the day’s proceedings, which saw him defending his guiltless claims against allegations of corruption, drugs among others.
Mariama could not help it, but smiled at her husband’s teasing remarks even though he was to be whisked away to the same place where two people have so far came out dead in a period of around two weeks.
Details of the court proceedings will be published Friday.

‘Ex-Deputy Anti Drug Chief Gave-out Cocaine for Sale’

 

Ex-Anti Drug Chief

Mr Karamo Bojang, ex-deputy director general of National Drug Enforcement Agency has connived with his boss, Ebrima Bun Sanneh and gave over 500 grams of cocaine to one Manjang Janko to market for them, the court heard on Thursday.See.p.3
State prosecutor Ebrima Jaiteh revealed further that Manjang Janko sold the said drugs for 9, 000 US dollars and shared the proceeds with the fired top anti-narcotics agents.
But when he confronted Mr Ousman Sanneh, former operations commander of NDEA, the embattled anti drug agent denied the allegations.
Sacked in 2010, the five former top anti-narcotic officials: Ebrima Bun Sanneh, executive director, Karamo Bojang, his deputy, Ousman Sanneh, operations commander, Seedy  Bojang and Mary Sanneh the only female are facing 30 counts of corruption and drug related charges at high court in Banjul. They all pleaded not guilty.
“It is correct that the second accused person gave you some money from the $9, 000” the prosecution asked but the accused person said, it is not correct.

Four Senior Prison Officers Case Suffers Setback

 

The trial of four senior prison officers accused
of corruption, among others on Wednesday
suffered a setback at the Banjul Magistrates’
Court.
Abdoulie Bojang, Solo Manga, Buba Badjie and
Bakary are facing allegations of destroying
evidence, given unauthorized communications to
prisoners and corruption, but pleaded not
guilty.
When the case resumed on Wednesday, neither the
director of public prosecution nor the defense
counsels could tell the whereabouts of the
suspects.
“I think the state will be in the right position
to answer the whereabout of the suspects,”
defense lawyer Neneh Cham said.
But the DPP said, he has no idea. “The prison
officers are responsible for that,” he said
Meanwhile, Abdoulie Bojang is facing three
charges. He is said to have removed a cell phone
card in a Samsung cell phone recovered from
prison, knowing it could be used as evidence in
court.
He is also alleged to have introduced prohibited
articles in prison – gave cell phone to inmates:
Batch Samba Faye and former defense Chief Lang
Tombong Tamba, a treason convict.
Solo Manga and Buba Badjie are facing similar
allegations of providing cell phones to inmates,
while Bakary Jammeh, the fourth accused person
is alleged to have corruptly received D100 from
Ousman Ndow to show favour to Alieu Bah, an
inmate.
The firth accused person is at large.
The case resumes Monday May 13 2010.

“Authorities prove that I was innocent”

The former police chief, Ensa Badjie has told the court that the authorities proved that he was innocent after a report was issued to them in 2007 when Soriba Condeh initially tried to implicate him.

"The allegations against me was investigated by the NIA and the Major and serious Crime Unit but reports show that I was innocent" Ensa said

The ex-Inspector General of Police and CSP Ali Ceesay are facing 15 counts ranging from robbery, aiding prisoners, abuse of office, drugs and related charges. They denied the charges.

Making the revelation before justice Ikapala of the Special Criminal Division the High Court in Banjul, Ensa told the court that Benedict Jammeh never revealed to the cx-CDS Lang Tombong Tamba for him to be arrested.

"Pw1 said in court that Benedict Jammeh warranted for your arrest but ex-CDS said you should not be arrested" his lawyer inquired.

"That is a lie" Ensa said "pw1 is only annoyed with me because I arrested him and he was prosecuted"

Badjie further revealed to the court that he has never told Soriba and his team to plead guilty neither has he anything to do with their escape.

He added that pw1 lied in court when he said he (Ensa) will provide a lawyer for them in 2007.

Ensa posited that he has never purchased cutter or any other items as pw1 alleged in his testimony for numerous breaking they committed in the Greater Banjul Area.

"I never gave them cutter or any other tool for criminal operations or to break into any supermarket," he said

"pw1 said you arrested him with a bundle of cannabis weighing five kilos" his lawyer inquired further, but Ensa vehemently denied it adding that he has on no account planned with pw1 to confiscate cannabis seized by state for his personal interest

The former police chief also denied buying alcohol for pw1 or running any bar with Tony (pw5) "It is against my religion" he said

Badjie refuted assigning pw1 to break into a bank and also facilitating a taxi for the save.

He added that he never told Soriba to abscond when Ebrima Suma was arrested.

He also denied asking Dodou Janneh (pw9) to his to help him count D300, 000 in his office adding that Dodou was only a volunteer "I am more educated than Dodou so why would I invite him to help me count" Ensa said.

"All I know" he said," is that he committed murder and I arrested him and he was prosecution and sentenced to death" Badjie said.

When asked by counsel if anything had transpired between him, 2nd accused and pw1, Ensa said one day while in mile 2 "when pw1 return from the NIA to the prison he met me at the verandah around no 7 ward and there he told me that Pa Harry Jammeh and Director General of NIA Numo Kujabi…"

Before he could finish the statement the Director of Public Prosecution objected to the statement. He said that portion was never mentioned by pw1 in court.

The defense in reaction said the objection was misconceived. He said pw1 is a witness who has testified before the court adding that the witness is narrating what the pw1 told him.

He added that he is laying a foundation in connection with the allegation levelled against the 2nd accused person while urging the court to overrule the DPP objection.

The judge in his ruling rejected the evidence of Ensa Badjie. He said he did not at anytime heard the prosecution witnesses mentioned Pa Harry Jammeh and DG NIA.