Buba Tamba works as a scientific officer at the Drug Law Enforcement Agency of The Gambia. On Wednesday, he spoke in court about the case of 52 missing cocaine blocks. Three court officials face charges for these missing drug exhibits from Kanifing Magistrates' Court. Tamba told Judge Sarah Aryee he knew former court official Ridwan Othman from when his boss asked him to check on the missing cocaine.
Tamba went to the court where Othman gave him 52 blocks. He picked three blocks randomly for testing but found unclear results during his first tests. His boss later told him to take samples from all 52 blocks for complete testing at agency headquarters. Seven blocks tested positive as real cocaine. The other 45 blocks tested negative, meaning they were fake.
Defense lawyer Lamin Mboge asked if Tamba knew about senior officers messing with evidence. Tamba said he did not know about such actions. He did confirm that the agency destroyed illegal drugs last year during an official destruction event. Mboge claimed high-ranking officers at the drug agency switched real drugs with fake ones before that destruction happened.
Former court official Ridwan Othman and magistrate Ebrima Janko Colley face several charges. These include planning crimes together, stealing, dealing illegal drugs, committing fraud, and breaking trust. The court clerk Maraiama Jankeh Tamba faces a different charge—not doing her official duties properly.
Tamba went to the court where Othman gave him 52 blocks. He picked three blocks randomly for testing but found unclear results during his first tests. His boss later told him to take samples from all 52 blocks for complete testing at agency headquarters. Seven blocks tested positive as real cocaine. The other 45 blocks tested negative, meaning they were fake.
Defense lawyer Lamin Mboge asked if Tamba knew about senior officers messing with evidence. Tamba said he did not know about such actions. He did confirm that the agency destroyed illegal drugs last year during an official destruction event. Mboge claimed high-ranking officers at the drug agency switched real drugs with fake ones before that destruction happened.
Former court official Ridwan Othman and magistrate Ebrima Janko Colley face several charges. These include planning crimes together, stealing, dealing illegal drugs, committing fraud, and breaking trust. The court clerk Maraiama Jankeh Tamba faces a different charge—not doing her official duties properly.
