By Nelson Manneh
Modou Ngum the eighteenth prosecution witness (PW18), during his cross examination before the High Court presided over Justice Kumba Sillah-Camara, said he was urinating blood for almost five days, form beatings he received on his sex organs, when he was held at the NIA; that to this day, his health condition has not normalized; that his legs and body swells from time to time and he get pains on his hips and eyes too.
PW 18 made these remarks when cross examined by Lawyer L.S. Sanyang.
Continuing, PW18 said in Bamba Dinka, they did not provided a health condition and sought medical assistance from outside; that when they were in Bamba Dinka, the ground was their mattress; that the Doctor conducts check-ups and blood tests on them right there.
“The Doctor left us there without saying anything. We were given two different drugs and another one which we used to rub on our body. He (the Doctor) also told us that we should be provided with clothes because the ones we wore, smells,” he said.
When asked by Lawyer L.S Sanneh whether they got any medical assistance afterwards,
PW18 responded in the positive, adding that they got the medical assistance in Dakar, Senegal; that they were provided with medical papers in Dakar.
Lawyer P. Gomez, Counsel for the Defendant asked whether he saw the first accused person and
Ngum responded in the positive; that it happened at the NIA headquarters when they were taken into the hall for questioning; that they were many in the hall at the NIA headquarters and knows some of them who were there with him; that they were blindfold and told that the room they were in, is dark and there was a camera directed at them.
Another Defence Counsel Lawyer I. Jallow, asked whether he knew Sheikh Omar Jeng before the 14th of April 2016, and the witness responded in the negative; that he came to know him on the 14th day of April 2018, when they were arrested; that five of them were in the same pickup, when they were taken from the PIU headquarters to the NIA headquarters.
He said two of them were sitting at the back and the other two were in front of the pickup.
“I can still remember those of us who were in the pickup. It was myself, the driver, the Operations Commander Sheikh Omar Jeng, and other two PIU officers,” he said.
Lawyer I Jallow put it to PW18 that one Baba Danso testified in the same Court, that he was the one who escorted them to the NIA headquarters and not Sheikh Omar Jeng. But PW18 insisted, that it was Sheikh Omar Jeng.
The case was then adjourned to the 24th of June 2018, for continuation of hearing.
