By Landing Ceesay
Paulo Djabi has pleaded not guilty to four criminal charges, including perjury, brought against him by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) at the Attorney General’s Chambers.
On September 30, 2024, the DPP filed four charges against Djabi, accusing him of falsifying evidence and lying under oath.
The charges include: Perjury and subornation of perjury under section 95(3) of the Criminal Code Laws of The Gambia, 2009; Fabricating evidence under section 98(b) of the Criminal Code Laws of The Gambia, 2009; False swearing under section 99(b) of the Criminal Code Laws of The Gambia, 2009; and procuring the execution of documents by pretence under section 330 of the Criminal Code Laws of The Gambia.
On December 2, 2024, when the case was called, Hon. Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, the presiding judge, read the charges to Djabi, who pleaded not guilty to all of them.
Paulo Djabi is a Guinea-Bissau national living in the Gambia with his wife and other relatives. Since 2023, Paulo Djabi has been in a legal tussle with the Drug Law Enforcement Agency (DLEAG) over drug-related issues.
Djabi was allegedly found in possession of prohibited and controlled drugs in one of his compounds, Fajara, in the Kanifing Municipality.
He was also found in possession of a substantial amount of money, both in the Gambian currency and in foreign currencies, notably, CFA, Dollar and Euros.
Subsequently, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution at the Attorney General’s Chambers filed 21 counts of criminal charges against him, accusing him of money laundering and other drug-related crimes.
The case has been adjourned to the 20th of January for the testimony of the First Prosecution Witness.