Gambia News : Gambia drug scandal - Ex-fisheries minister back in custody

Gambian police re-arrested the ex-fisheries minister Monday in a bid to get him to turn state witness in a drugs and corruption case against the former police minister, police sources said.

Antouman Saho, 63, was first arrested on March 5 after he was dismissed from his post as fisheries minister in February this year. He was released last Wednesday after four months in detention without charge.

His arrest was one of a slew of high profile detentions, with former police chief Ensa Badjie, former head of the anti-drugs agency, Ebrima Bun Sanneh, and four soldiers among those being held on theft and drug trafficking charges.

"The state wants to use Saho as a principal witness against the country's former police chief, Ensa Badjie, who is currently facing trial on charges of drug trafficking, corruption, robbery and thief," a police source told AFP.

This follows the reported absconding of the state's main witness in the case a week ago.

"Yes, I can confirm that Saho is currently with us because we want to use him as a witness in the case against the former police boss Ensa Badjie," another police source confirmed.

The other suspects were indicted in April and face 32 charges, including crimes of sedition and corruption, along with theft, possession of firearms and ammunition, and concealing and destroying evidence.

Gambia, a sliver of a country nestled within Senegal, has been ruled by President Yayha Jammeh with an iron fist since a bloodless coup in July 1994.

He has been known to silence his opponents, with his regime cracking down on criticism, and brushes off concerns over reported human rights abuses.

On March 9 the head of state went on national radio and said that people in high places should not be involved in drugs trafficking. He swore that Gambia would never become a narco-state.

Earlier this month, 15 people were arrested after police seized some two tonnes of cocaine in a small fishing village -- a record haul for West Africa which has become a major transit point for South American cocaine destined for European markets.