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by Pierre Njie
A Bissau Guinean National called Januario Wonde Beducande Findan, who was remanded by the Brikama Magistrate’s Court for his alleged involvement in the trafficking of suspected cocaine, was on Tuesday night found hanging at the toilets of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency of The Gambia’s (DLEAG) investigation unit called CTI in Bijilo, where he was detained.
The deceased is believed to have committed suicide and the police have taken his corpse to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital where a post-mortem will be conducted to ascertain the cause of his death.
Speaking to The Digest News, Ousman Saidybah, spokesperson of the DLEAG said the deceased was arrested on the 26th January 2020 at Giboro Border Post with 12 pellets of cocaine. The seized substance, he explained, weighed 116g 800 mg and the matter was referred to the DLEAG’s Sensitive Investigation Unit (SIU) for further investigation.
According to PRO Saidybah, on the 30th January 2020, drug samples were sent for weighment and sampling analysis. He stated that a chromatographic analysis of the sample confirmed the presence of cocaine and an analytical report on the analysis conducted was issued on the 13th February 2020.
Upon completion of the investigation, PRO Saidybah said the suspect was charged for being in possession of prohibited drug for the purpose of drug trafficking.
“He was arraigned at the Brikama Magistrate’s Court on the 17th February 2020. However, the case could not proceed due to lack of Creole language interpreter.
In the same vein, he appeared before the same court on the 26th February and 2nd March 2020 respectively. The case could not proceed on both occasions due to lack of an interpreter”
“Subsequently, the case proceeded on his fourth appearance on the 24th March 2020 and he was remanded at the State Central Prison Mile II, but the prison authorities declined to admit him because the escorts arrived with him after 18:00 hours GMT. As per their Procedure and Operational Standards, admission was closed for the day. The following day being the 25th March 2020, he was taken again to mile II and was admitted. However, the next day being the 26th March 2020, instructions were given for him to be returned into DLEAG Custody due to COVID 19 outbreak. Thus his detention at the SIU since then,” the Drug Agency’s spokesperson clarified.
He said an official correspondence was sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the notification of the Bissau Embassy in The Gambia on the 26th March 2020.
“On the late evening of Tuesday 21st April 2020, the officers on duty during routine check on detainees, found him hanging dead on the cell toilet door with his trouser used as a rope.
The matter was immediately reported to the Gambia Police Force and a team of Crime Scene Investigators were dispatched to conduct the necessary procedures.
Thereafter, the body was evacuated to Sukuta Health Center and eventually to EFSTH,” he disclosed.
The matter is currently being investigated by the Gambia Police Force.