By Mariama Marong
Yankuba Touray still maintains his innocence in the alleged murder of former finance minister, Ousman Koro Ceesay.
He denied all allegations linking him to the alleged murder of late Ousman Koro Ceesay.
State Counsel Kimbeng T. Tah has on Monday, 29th March 2021 concluded his cross-examination of former military captain, Yankuba Touray.
Touray was the cabinet minister responsible for Local Government and Lands under the AFPRC and APRC regimes.
Below are questions and answers between state counsel Kimbeng Tah and Yankuba Touray in verbatim.
Lawyer Tah: Who guarded the state House?
Yankuba Touray: The Gambian guards.
Lawyer Tah: Can you give an estimate of the number of guards?
Yankuba Touray: I can’t remember.
Lawyer Tah: The State House was on tiding security with the post-coup period.
Yankuba Touray: Yes.
Lawyer Tah: Will you agree with me that post-coup period was with series of attempted coups.
Yankuba Touray: No.
Lawyer Tah: Was there any attempted coup by the members of the junta?
Yankuba Touray: Yes.
Lawyer Tah: Was there any time any suspicions from the Chairman towards the members of the junta.
Yankuba Touray: I don’t know.
Lawyer Tah: If you were the Chairman in the context of the aborted coup of November 11, 1994, would you perhaps fear another coup?
Yankuba Touray: Yes.
Lawyer Kimberly Tah: Was there ever a directive by the Chairman banning visits by junta members to the State House at night?
Yankuba Touray. No.
Lawyer Tah: Was there ever any directive limiting access by the junta members to the state House while the Chairman was out of the country?
Yankuba Touray: No.
Lawyer Tah: Mr. Touray, Do you want this court to believe that the Chairman would allow you to drive back to state House at 11 pm in his presidential official car?
Yankuba Touray: Yes, because I was the head of transition to constitutional rule and de- facto political adviser to the president.
Lawyers Tah: Mr. Touray, I am putting it to you that you did not drive to the State House on the night of the President’s departure.
Yankuba Touray: I drove back to the State House by the President’s order. Lawyer Tah: On the given day, you were at your residence at Kerr Sering participating in the murder of Ousman Koro Ceesay.
Yankuba Touray: No, I was with the President at the State House and to the airport.
At this point, Counsel Tah informed the Banjul High Court that he was done with the cross-examination of Mr Touray.
Lawyer Abdoulie Sisohor informed the Court that he has another witness to call who shall be defence witness number four.
The case was adjourned to the 20th of April 2021 at 1pm for hearing.
