By Kebba Jeffang
The Deputy Imam of Fajikunda-Dumos on Thursday, July 28, 2016, testified before the Brikama Magistrates’ Court presided over by Magistrate Mboge as the first prosecution witness in the criminal trespass trial involving Alagie Manneh, a resident of Babylon community in the West Coast Region.
Appearing for the Inspector General of Police was Sub-Inspector Conteh.
The defendant’s lawyer, Borry S. Touray, before the matter was called, urged the court to proceed with the evidence in chief of the first prosecution witness in his absence as he would be engaged in another court. He told the court that the matter can be adjourned for him to cross examine the witness if the prosecution is done with him. This was granted by the court.
The first prosecution witness (Pw1) identified himself as Abdoulie Sonko, a resident of Fajikunda and the deputy imam of Fajikunda-Dumos mosque. He said he recognized the accused person and could recall all what had happened between them on the 11th day of July, 2016 in Makumbayaa village in the West Coast region.
He said he was given a piece of land in Makumbayaa by one Alasana Jammeh. He explained that when the land was given to him, he went with Alasana to the residence of the Alkalo of the village for him to make the transfer document. He said this was given to him on the 9th January, 2016.
“I have a witness and Alasana also got a witness during the documentation process in the Alkalo’s residence. I went to pay tax but I’m yet to develop the land. When the rainy season started and I visited the land, I realized that someone has cultivated the land and when I asked they told me it is one Alagie Manneh (the one in the dock) who ploughed the land. I did not ask him, I went straight to the police station to report the case,” he said.
The witness adduced that the police informed him that the said Alagie has just left the station. He said the police then called him (Alagie) too and he said he owns the same land in question and it was given to him by one Lamin Jarjue.
“However, he said he got no document for the land. I surrendered the photocopy of my land transfer document to the prosecution. He told the police that he will not abandon the land because he is the rightful owner,” said PW1.
At this juncture, the prosecution applied for an adjournment to enable them to bring in court the land transfer document. The application was granted.
The matter was adjourned to the 4th August 2016 for continuation of the case.
