A Sierra Leonean has been detained in Gambia on allegations of possession of cocaine.
Trente Wales, 49, was detained in a raid by agents of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency – The Gambia (DLEA) on Friday, February 11.
A spokesman told ManoReporters that Wales was detained in Banjul, where he resides and work.
The Sierra Leone was paraded on Monday alongside two other Gambian suspects who were separately detained on suspicion of drug trafficking. The authorities displayed drugs of varying quantities worth a total of D150, 000 (Le30million), mostly cannabis.
Wales was reportedly detained at a popular place in the Gambian capital known for high consumption of drugs.
Ousman Saidybah, Public Relations Officer of DLEA, said Wales was only detained with nine pieces of the cocaine stones.
Mr Wales was immediately hospitalized following his arrest, Saidybah said, noting that the suspect displayed signs of mental instability and even reportedly threatened to commit suicide while under custody.
“Unlike the other suspects, his case involves possession. It’s not a trafficking case,” Saidybah said via telephone interview from Banjul, adding that based on the symptoms he manifested, Wales was referred to the hospital for help and granted bail while investigation continues.
“It isn’t safe to keep him in custody considering the likelihood of him harming himself, he added.
Information obtained by investigators from Wales also revealed that he spent some time in neighboring Senegal, where he underwent treatment for drug addiction.
Wales faces a charge of possession of prohibited drug under Gambia’s anti-drug laws, with a likely penalty of fine or jail term, depending on the discretion of the magistrate.
He is likely to avoid jail term, with a fine of nothing less that D250, 000 (Le50mllion).
Drug trafficking attracts a mandatory jail term of 10 years and a fine of a million dalasis (Le200million).
