Magistrate Ayoub John Njie of the Brikama Magistrates Court has warned a law enforcement officer not to meddle in matters that contravene the law, saying a police officer should lubricate the wheel justice delivery system and not throw a spanner into it.

The magistrate gave this warning to one Momodou Suwareh, a police officer, who has been dragged in a civil suite filed by one Mrs Mama Jarra against him as the first defendant and Alasana Jawo, the Alkalo of Farato Village, about  a land deal.

The complainant told the court she gave D17,000 to Mr Suwareh for a piece of land at Farato Village, but added that for the past four years, she has been on Mr Suwareh’s back to obtain the land documents without any headway.

Meanwhile, Mr Suwareh admitted selling the land to Mrs Jarra, but noted that the money was paid to Alhasana Jawo, the Alkalo of Farato. However, he was quick to add that he took not less than D5,000 from the money.

The second defendant, Alhasana Jawo also admitted that the said money was paid to him, but it was immediately handed over to Suwareh, who later prepared the transfer documents of the land.

Suwareh objected to the assertion, saying that he had only signed the documents, but the Alkalo insisted that it was Suwareh who prepared the transfer documents and appended his signature on it.

Mr Suwareh then informed the court that he was not the rightful owner of the said land, but one Francis Gomez. But Alkalo quickly retorted, saying that if Suwareh had informed him that he was not the owner of the land, he (Alkalo) would not have involved himself in the business. He recalled that the complainant once came to him looking for a land to buy, but was told that he had no land on sale, before referring her to Mr Suwareh. He said since Suwareh and Ms Jarra reached an agreement on the sale of the land, he (the Alkalo) visited the land just once and both Suwareh and Jarra offered him D1,000 each. The case was adjourned for continuation.