Expelled NAM’s drug case resumes

The drug case involving the former Nanija National Assembly member, Dawda Manneh and his co-accused Demba Baldeh, a security guard at the Central Bank of The Gambia, has resumed before Magistrate Mbai of the Banjul Magistrates court.

When the case was called, Sergeant Corr, a drug squad officer attached to Talinding Police Station, told the court that in the month of September,2008, he was ordered to take cautionary and voluntary statements from Dawda Manneh .According to Mr Corr, he took  two statements from the accused persons in the presence of an independent witness . Both the independent witness and Dawda Manneh signed the statements.

Sergeant Corr added that the accused, Dawda Manneh had never accepted the allegations preferred against him when he was arrested for being in possession of a prohibited drug. The presiding magistrate Mbai then adjourned the case to March 12, 2009. It could be recalled that the accused persons were represented by lawyer Amie Joof-Conteh but as the trial unfolded before Magistrate Mbai, she withdrew from the case. Following her withdrawal, Lawyer Gomez took over. However, the lawyer is representing only Dawda Manneh.