By Yankuba Jallow
Mami Minteh, the wife of retired Captain Yankuba Touray has denied ever going to Edward Singhatey’s house for a party.
Prosecution witness Lamin Ndour testified before the high court that on the night Koro Ceesay was allegedly murdered, he was the one who drove Mami Minteh with her family to Edward Singhatey’s residence.
The second defence witness, Mami Minteh said she named one of her child after retired Captain Edward Singhatey. She detailed that Edward Touray was born on the 23rd December 1995, adding that her first child Fatoumata Touray was born in 1991.
“In 1995 you were pregnant of Edward Touray?” Lawyer Abdoulie Sisoho for Yankuba Touray asked.
“Yes,” Mami Touray replied.
“During your pregnancy of Edward Touray, what was your health status by then?” the Lawyer asked.
The witness responded that after she gave birth to Fatoumata Touray in 1991 she had two miscarriages before she was pregnant of Edward Touray. She explained that she was advised by a doctor from the poly clinic in Banjul that she needed bed rest for six months owing to her health status.
“From what you said did you heed to the advice of the doctor?” the Lawyer asked.
“Yes, I was asked not to go out so I adhered to the doctor’s advice,” the witness answered.
“From March 1995 to December 1995 when you gave birth to Edward Touray, were you involved in any social activities or events?” Lawyer Sisoho asked.
“Yes, I used to go to prenatal,” Minteh said.
“From March 1995 all the way to your delivery in December 1995, did you visit any area in Cape Point in The Gambia?” Sisoho asked.
“Yes, I went to attend a naming ceremony at Edward Singhatey’s residence after his wife gave birth,” the witness replied.
“After the naming ceremony did you have cause to go there (at Singhtey’s residence) for a visit or any other reason?” the Lawyer asked.
“No, I did not go there because I was in bed rest,” the witness replied.
Minteh said as a wife of a cabinet minister she was given a car with a driver who was called Pa Colley. She testified that Pa Colley was her personal driver adding “if I want to go out he drives me and if I am not going out he used to sit at the house till closing hours.”
She said the official driver of her husband Yankuba Touray was Lamin Ndour. She informed the court that Ndour only used to drive her when there was a reception, 22nd July commemoration or independence day celebration in which she used to go with her husband in his official car.
“Have you at any point in your life been driven by Mr Ndour and Amat Jangum to Edward Singhatey’s house for party?” Lawyer Sisoho asked.
“No,” the witness replied.
“After the naming ceremony you attended there, did you return to Edward Singhatey’s residence for any reason?” the Lawyer asked.
“No,” she replied.
“Did you have a relationship with Edward Singhatey’s wife?” the Lawyer asked.
“We did not know each other before until 1996 when we started having a relationship,” the witness replied.
She said her relationship with Singhatey’s wife came when Tuti Faal, the ex-wife of former President Yahya Jammeh invited all the wives of the members of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) to come together to meet and unite in order to support their husbands in the presidential elections.
“Can you drive?” the Lawyer asked.
“Yes, since 1990,” the witness said.
“When you are going to events who used to drive you?” the witness was asked.
“Sometimes Pa Colley used to drive me but sometimes I drive myself,” the witness answered.
The witness said their house in Kerr Sering has four rooms, adding that the other three rooms are visible from her house. She said one of the rooms was occupied by herself and her husband while the three others were occupied by the others including the maids, her daughter and sisters and the orderlies as well as Adama and Bakary Touray.
She said the orderlies used to do a two-day shift before changing. She added that the maids were responsible for the household chores while Awa Minteh used to take care of her room.
The matter was adjourned till the 6th August 2020 at 2 pm to 3 pm.
Earlier, Mami testified that she moved to Kerr Sering together with her husband in 1994. She said the other people she moved with were Awa Minteh, Mariama Minteh, Fatoumata Touray and Jainaba Kujabi who was their house maid.
She said as of January 1995 she was living with her husband, Awa Minteh, Mariama Minteh, Fatoumata Touray, Adama Touray, Bakary Touray, Maimuna and their two maids.
She informed the court that apart from these people Ensa Mendy and Jali Musa Sowe were also resident there as orderlies adding one S. Bah replaced Jali Musa when he passed out.
