By Tabora Bojang
Police have confirmed an investigation into allegations of assault and manhandling against four officers of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency (DLEAG) on a suspect in Sanyang.
According to the police spokesperson, the police in Sanyang received a complaint from one Modou Morro Bojang who claimed his house was attacked by officers armed with hammers at about 4am on Saturday.
Bojang said the officers broke down his door and forced their way into his house where he was sleeping with his wife and children which greatly distressed them. He alleged he sustained a laceration on his stomach during the bust up.
“The complainant reported the matter to us and claimed he sustained an injury during the operation. We will investigate and refer the case through the relevant channels. This is a case involving law enforcement officers and usually it requires collaboration between the police and the DLEAG command until we get to the bottom of the issue,” PRO Sisawo said.
Bojang explained to The Standard: “I was in bed and heard a loud noise outside and my wife screaming by the door. I found all my door glasses damaged and the handle broken. They were led by one Saikou Jeng who said they came from Pipeline [Fajara] and were in my house to look for drugs. I confronted them that their approach was wrong and they had no right to damage my properties. But Jeng said they have the right to damage any property they suspected and he even said they did a similar thing at four other compounds. We had a push and pull during which a piece of glass cut my stomach and I sustained an injury. After a thorough search they did not find anything prohibitive. It was a terror raid.”
DLEAG Spokesman Dawda Sanyang confirmed the raid and explained that the officers were on a patrol when they arrested a suspect who informed them about the source of the substance found on him.
Sanyang contended that “upon reasonable suspicion” narcotic officers have the right to enter anywhere and conduct a search.
He accused Bojang of threatening his officers with a machete and damaging the warrant card of the team leader. He also denied the officers were armed with hammers saying they knocked on the door several times but Bojang refused to open.
“Our men did not broke the door. He was having a machete and it was probably himself who damaged it [the door],” Sanyang alleged.
He said Bojang can seek redress at the agency’s Professional Standards and Disciplinary Committee.
