By Mariama Marong
Baboucar Sallah, a former assistant officer commanding at the NIA on Wednesday, 18th February 2021 while under cross-examination denied participating in the torture of 14th April 2016 UDP protesters.
Sallah maintained that he has never tortured any of the protesters, adding he did not go to the NIA headquarters on the protest day. He said he was at his duty post at the Atlantic Hotel in Banjul.
Below is the testimony of Sallah in verbatim.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: Mr. Sallah, you told this court yesterday that you worked under your OC Haruna Suso and follow his command. Apart from yourself, who are the people under the command of Mr. Suso?
Baboucar Sallah: We are many.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: Can you give the names of those people?
Baboucar Sallah: Yes, they were Tamba Masireh, Alieu Singateh, Mr. Baldeh and there are names I can’t recalled.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: On the 14th of April 2016, did you see Haruna Suso?
Baboucar Sallah: I only came to see Haruna Suso on the 15th of April 2016 between the hours of 4am to 5am.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: Did you receive any command from Mr. Suso on going to work?
Baboucar Sallah: He called me on the 15th of April 2016 between the hours of 4am to 5am; that is when he called.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: Mr. Sallah I am putting it to you that Mr. Suso called you before the 15th of April 2016.
Baboucar Sallaah: That is not true.
Counsel Combeh Gaye requested for exhibit J and V1 to be given to her.
Lawyer Gaye: It is evident that Mr Baboucar Sallah was called by his OC Mr. Suso. Mr. Sallah, did you remember the interview you have with the police at the police headquarters.
Baboucar Sallah: I cannot remember because I was drunk.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: But you remember going to the police in 2017 at the police headquarters to be interrogated on this case.
Baboucar Sallah: I cannot remember; it was in the following day I came to know that I was at the police headquarters because I was intoxicated.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: Take a look at exhibit V1 at page 71.
Baboucar Sallah: I cannot read.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: Are you telling this court that you are an illiterate – you cannot read and write.
Baboiucar Sallah: My education is very low.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: The question is can you read and write.
Baboucar Sallah: I can understand some, but I cannot understand all.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: Since you can understand something, can you read page 71 line 321.
Baboucar Sallah: I cannot read the document, page 71 line 321.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: Mr. Sallah, I am putting it to you that, it is transcribe audio interview between you and the police.
Baboucar Sallah: I am not aware of it because I was not with myself, I was intoxicated.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: Mr. Sallah. I am putting it to u that you were not drunk and you gave the police answer and never told the police that you were drunk.
Baboucar Sallah: A person can be drunk and be talking, but I was drunk.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: Mr. Sallah, you admitted to the police that you were at the NIA on the 14th of April 2016.
Baboucar Sallah: I cannot remember.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: In fact, Mr.Sallah you told the police that you and Tamba Masireh were called and asked to interrogate Solo Sandeng.
Baboucar Sallah: I am not an investigator or an interrogator. I was at the Atlantic Hotel throughout.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: In fact Mr Sallah, you told the investigators that you beat Solo Sandeng.
Baboucar Sallah: I disagreed because it has never happened.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: In fact you further told the police that it was yourself, Tamba Masireh and Lamin Darboe, the 8th accused person who were there beating Solo Sandeng.
Baboucar Sallah: That has never happened because I have never worked with Lamin Darboe.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye read Haruna Suso’s cautionary statement in which he stated “I received a call from my director of operations Sheikh Omar Jeng who asked me to come to the headquarters together with my team. I called Baboucar Sallah and Tamba Masireh to join me.” Suso said Jeng told him that the UDP supporters who did the protest needed to be warmed up.
Lawyer Combeh Gaye: Haruna Suso is your boss and he said you were present at the NIA on the 14th of April 2016.
Baboucar Sallah: I disagreed with him.
The case has been adjourned to Monday the 22nd of February 2021 at 1 pm.
