Nominated National Assembly member, Ya Kumba Jaiteh, made attempts to facilitate the escape of a drugs suspect in the course of a police operation, a narcotics officer attached to Serekunda Police Station Ebrima Fadera has told the court. The case was reported by Standard newspaper.
“I was stationed at Serekunda police on that Tuesday and at around 18:35, I left the charge office with my colleagues Baba Njie, Abdoulie A. Jarju, Landing Tamba, Sisawo Nyabally and Lamin Manjang, all drug squad officers. We went on our normal patrol and conducted a search at Queens Bar when we saw a man sitting on a motorbike. We approached him and identified ourselves as narcotics officers after which he attempted to run. We held him and, in the process, a parcel of suspected cannabis fell from his pocket after which I arrested him with a hand cuff.
After searching him, we recovered another suspected parcel of cannabis from his pocket. At this point, the accused shouted for help and then a group of people came to help him and among them, I came to recognise Ya-Kumba Jaiteh as a member of the National Assembly, and an old man who later became known to me as her father, who was pushing and pulling with us saying the accused will not be arrested,”.
Mr. Fadera narrated it was at this point Ya-Kumba engaged in acts considered to constitute assault and obstruction of police. He added:
“Ya-Kumba Jaiteh held my neck resulting in injuries at the back of my left ear. I was then with Abdoulie Jarju, while other officers were searching other areas. At this point, I had shouted for help and my colleagues arrived with a vehicle and helped me get the suspect, Tijan Macaulley on board, while the old man was beating the officers and calling them to leave his son.
When we boarded the suspect in the vehicle, Ya-Kumba Jaiteh was equally dragging the suspect from our vehicle. I could not recognise the others but I recognised Ya-Kumba and the old man,” the witness told the court”.
The top UDP hack and legislator, Ya-Kumba Jaiteh, stands accused of two counts of assault and obstruction.
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