The Brikama Magistrates’ Court recently convicted and sentenced one Lamin Kanyi to a fine of one million dalasis in default to serve five years’ imprisonment.

Mr Kanyi was recently arraigned before Principal Magistrate Edrissa Mbai charged with possession of prohibited drug for the purposes of trafficking.

It could be recalled that the convict was on 19th April 2008 at Bullock police check-point intercepted with two kilo grams and 200 mg of cannabis sativa (marijuana).

Free anti-malaria medicine will soon become a reality for children younger than five and pregnant mothers after the launch of the first phase of countrywide trials to promote access to the drugs in health centres, government officials have said.

“[Since last May] we have conducted the first trials in 27 health centres around the country as part of our programme to provide the drugs to children and pregnant women,” François Libama, the director for the National Programme to Fight Malaria (PNLP), said.

He said another 38 health centres had been included. “That adds up to 65,” he said. The campaign was targeting 244 health centres countrywide by year-end.

“Currently, we are providing medicine to treat the simple forms of malaria in the health centres; in the second year, we will address the more serious forms in the hospitals,” Libama said.

The free anti-malaria treatment campaign was officially launched in Brazzaville on 15 July this year.

The government had received 272,000 boxes of anti-malaria drugs from an Indian pharmaceutical company, CIPLA, according to the Minister for Health, Social Affairs and the Family, Emilienne Raoul.

Malaria is the leading cause of death among children younger than five in the Congo, with at least 21,000 dying each year, according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the PNLP in Congo.
The disease is also the leading cause of clinic attendance among children, said the PNLP.

UNICEF estimates that at least 5 percent of pregnant women and children younger than five sleep under a treated mosquito net. In 2007, the Congolese government distributed 525,686 insecticide-treated nets as part of an integrated health campaign that also targeted measles and malnutrition in children younger than five.

The fight against malaria is among the country’s national priorities, in line with various development strategies such as the strategy for the reduction of poverty, the National Health Development Plan and Millennium Development Goals.

In 2007, President Denis Sassou Nguesso waived anti-malarial treatment costs for pregnant women and children younger than five. In December, he extended the directive to all children younger than 15.

IRIN

The Inspector General of Police, Essa Badjie, has called on the youth of The Gambia to desist from drug use and trafficking noting that drugs are dangerous. He made his remarks in Bansang while engaged in a tour of the provinces.

According to him, drugs are illegal and no good for the human body causing only destruction when used. He called on the community in the area to help the police to combat drug trafficking. IGP Badgie advised the Alkalo to be careful in how he issues documents to cattle dealers saying that some might be rustlers.

For his part, the Governor of CRR, Alh. Ganyie Touray cautioned the local authorities to be mindful of the way they issue papers to cattle dealers to facilitate their movement because without papers they cannot escape security.

Other speakers included Chief Biran Baldeh and the Alkalo of Bansang Alh. Kebba Kora. All expressed their gratitude and appreciation to the entourage.

Juka Colley, a native of Sareh Samba Village, Lower River Region, was recently paraded at the Brikama Magistrates Court, charged with the possession of illicit drug (cannabis), contrary to the Drug Control Act of The Gambia.

Testifying before Senior Magistrate EF M’Bai, an officer of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA), Modou Lamin Sanyang, who is attached to Jarra Soma Police Station, told the court that Mr Colley was arrested on December 9, last year, during a patrol by some officers at Sareh Samba, a village near Jarra Soma.

Sanyang recalled that they had found the suspect smoking cannabis sativa at his house, upon their arrival at the village. “We got him under control and later conducted a search in his house,” he told the court, adding that the trawl led them to discovering a bag loaded with some quantities of cannabis.

The NDEA agent said that the accused was then arrested on the spot and taken to Jarra Soma Police Station, where he was cautioned and charged accordingly, in the presence of an independent witness. He said the accused was later escorted to the NDEA Headquarters in Banjul in order to weigh and measure quantities of the cannabis recovered, noting that samples were also taken to a lab, and a certificate and an analytical reports issued afterwards.

The NDEA prosecutor, NCA (1) Ceesay, then applied to tender the certificate and the analytical report, as the accused person adamantly maintained that he was not guilty. Colley informed the court that he was subjected to intimidation by the officers who wanted him to claim ownership of the illicit drug or risk confiscation of his house.

But the presiding magistrate admitted and marked the two reports as exhibits. The trial was then adjourned to June 26, for continuation of the proceedings.

Lamin was reportedly arrested by narcotics officers in Bakoteh for allegedly being found in possession of 31kg of marijuana for purpose of trafficking. He was allegedly apprehended in November of 2007 but had denied the charges when his alleged crimes were read to him.

He will, in the meantime, have his freedom of movement restricted as his case goes to trial soon.

Alhaji Samba Drammeh, who was allegedly intercepted at Essau with prohibited drugs, has been finally charged.

Alhaji was arrested at a checkpoint in Essau and reportedly in possession of cannabis.

According to the charge sheet, the suspect was in November of last year arrested in possession of 1kg and 80kg of marijuana.

Alhaji had entered a plea of  'not guilty' when the charge sheet was read and translated to him in the language he claimed to  understand.

He was granted bail in the sum of D250,000 with a Gambian as surety.

The Point has learned from competent sources that Mr. Ndeneh Faal, a renowned businessman who was convicted and sentenced to jail for drug peddling, was last Wednesday released from prison.

Mr. Faal, Mr. Musa Suso, the former Kombo North parliamentarian and Victoria Goddard, a beautician, were in 2000 arrested by the police at a police post in Yundum whilst trying to smuggle a large quantity of cannabis sativa, locally called jamba, through Banjul International Airport.

All pleaded not guilty but Victoria Goddard later changed her plea to guilty and subsequently used as a prosecution witness.

In passing judgement on that fateful morning amidst tight security, Presiding Magistrate Otta, now a High Court judge, remarked that she was going to set an example of the accused persons and has since made a mandatory custodial sentence on Faal and Suso. Mr. Suso was himself released last year.

Lamin appeared before the Brikama Magistrates’ Court for being allegedly found in possession of 31kg of marijuana for purpose of trafficking.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge but was remanded in custody, pending the resumption of his case for trial proper.

Musa’s case was in February of this year adjourned to today following his failure to provide witnesses on seven consecutive times.

He was arrested in Tallinding ‘in possession’ of 132kg and 500g of marijuana, allegations he denies.