By Landing Ceesay
The Attorney General’s Chambers and Ministry of Justice have formally charged Magistrate Ebrima Janko Colley of the Kanifing Magistrate’s Court in connection with the alleged disappearance of blocks of cocaine that were in the court’s custody.
Magistrate Colley, along with Ridwan Othman and Mariama Jankeh, faces five criminal charges related to the missing cocaine. These charges follow allegations that blocks of cocaine, seized by the Drug Law Enforcement Agency of the Gambia (DLEAG) and presented as evidence in a case before Magistrate Colley, had gone missing. This prompted Chief Justice Hassan B. Jallow to form a panel, led by Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the Special Criminal Division of the High Court, to investigate the matter.
Following the investigation, Magistrate Colley was suspended by the Judiciary of the Gambia.
Colley and his staff now face five counts of criminal charges brought by the Office of the Attorney General on behalf of the State.
–Count One: Conspiracy to Commit a FelonyContrary to Section 368 of the Criminal Code (Vol. III, Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009). The State alleges that Magistrate Colley and Ridwan Othman conspired in October 2023, in Kanifing Municipality, to steal 45 blocks of cocaine, which were exhibits in criminal case no: KMC/DLEAG/23/2023.
–Count Two: Theft contrary to Section 245 and punishable under Section 257 of the Criminal Code (Vol. II Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009). The State claims that Colley and Othman stole the same 45 blocks of cocaine in October 2023 in Kanifing Municipality.
–Count Three: Fraud and Breach of Trustcontrary to Section 12 of the Criminal Code (Vol. III Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009). The allegation states that Colley and Othman tampered with the cocaine exhibits in October 2023 while performing their duties, replacing them with a counterfeit substance in criminal case no: KMC/DLEA(GY23/2023).
-Count Four: Dealing in Prohibited DrugsContrary to Section 33 of the Drug Control Act (Cap 13:05, Vol. III Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009). The State alleges that Colley and Othman transferred the 45 blocks of cocaine to an unknown location in October 2023.
-Count Five: Neglect of Official Dutycontrary to Section 113 of the Criminal Code (Cap 10:01, Vol. III Revised Laws of The Gambia, 2009). This charge is directed at Mariama Jankeh Tamba for failing to mark 52 blocks of cocaine submitted as evidence in criminal case no: KMC DLEA (GV3/2023) in October 2023.