By Kemeseng Sanneh (Kexx)
Ousainou Bojang, the person accused of shooting and killing two (2) policemen testified in his murder trial.
The prosecution alleged that on 12 September 2023 while at the Sukuta traffic lights, Ousainou Bojang, shot three police personnel with a gun, resulting in the death of two leaving the other with life-threatening injuries. Ousainou denied the allegations in court.
The court is currently looking into the claim by the Lawyer for Ousainou Bojang that he was beaten and drugged by the police at the time of obtaining his statement.
His testimony before the court was with respect to his claim that the statements the police took from him were not given voluntarily as he was coerced by the police. The court is right now focused on looking into how the statements were obtain and it will decide at the end of the mini-trial otherwise known as trial within a trial. Trial within a trial in law is a system that puts the main case on hold and the court will shift its attention on how the statements were obtained. Once that is done and the court decides on it, then the main trial will resume.
Ousainou Bojang, a resident of Brufut, is facing charges of murder, attempted murder, committing a terrorist act, and assault causing grievous bodily harm. His sister, Amie Bojang, is charged with accessory after the fact to murder.
Ousainou Bojang took the stand in the witness box for the first time to testify in court in the case.
Below is the detailed cross-examination of the witness by Defence Counsel Lamin J. Darboe:
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Have you met Prosecution Witness One, Detective Sowe?
Ousainou Bojang: Yes.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Where have you met him?
Ousainou Bojang: At the airport.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Have you met him anywhere before the airport?
Ousainou Bojang: Yes, at the Anti-Crime Unit.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: How about Mr Alieu Cham?
Ousainou Bojang: I met him at the [Banjul International] Airport.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Have you met Mr. Cham anywhere else other than the Airport?
Ousainou Bojang: I met Alieu Cham at the Airport.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: What happened at the Airport?
Ousainou Bojang: Alieu Cham, Ebou Sowe, and the driver named Bah came together.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: So, did anything happen there at the Airport?
Ousainou Bojang: Yes, they took me out of the cell.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Where was that cell located?
Ousainou Bojang: At the airport police station.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Did anything happen after you were taken out of the cell?
Ousainou Bojang: Yes, I was taken to the CID [Criminal Investigation Department] Office.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: What happened at the CID Office?
Ousainou Bojang: Ebou Sowe informed me that they came to obtain my statement along with Alieu Cham. He mentioned the words that I was accused of and asked whether I agreed or disagreed.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Did you recall those charges?
Ousainou Bojang: Yes, I can remember.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Can you tell the court the charges that were read to you?
Ousainou Bojang: The first charge was that I shot two police officers with a gun, killing them, and I denied the charge. The second charge was terrorism, and I denied that charge as well. Then I was charged with bodily harm by shooting someone. It was recorded on paper and read to me, and I confirmed I didn’t agree to the charges.
Another paper was brought, my name was written, and it was stated that I didn’t agree to the charges. I confirmed that I didn’t agree to the charges.
Counsel J. Darboe: Did Mr. Sowe take any statement from you at the Anti-Crime?
Ousainou Bojang: No, he didn’t take any statement from me at the Anti-Crime Unit.
Counsel J Darboe: He said in the trial that he took the statement in the presence of Alieu Cham. Was that true?
Ousainou Bojang: That’s not true.
Counsel J Darboe: Alieu Cham said he was on the phone three times when your statement was taken. Is that true?
Ousainou Bojang: That’s not true.
Counsel J Darboe: Mr Sowe said the statement was taken on the 15th of September 2023. Do you recall giving a statement on that date?
Ousainou Bojang: No, that’s not true.
Counsel J Darboe: Do you recall going anywhere within the Anti-Crime complex on the 15th of September 2023?
Ousainou Bojang: I was taken to a panel before a CID officer by the name of Jamanka on that day.
Counsel J. Darboe: What happened between you and Jamanka?
Ousainou Bojang: I was at the panel with him.
Counsel J Darboe: Do you recall how long you were in front of the panel?
Ousainou Bojang: I stayed there for a long time, had my lunch there, and was then taken back to my cell.
Counsel J Darboe: Were you ever before Ebou Sowe to take a statement, along with Alieu Cham as a witness?
Ousainou Bojang: No, I did not see them.
Counsel J Darboe: Have you had any dealings with any officer during your stay there?
Ousainou Bojang: On Wednesday night, Ebou Sowe took me from my cell. He brought papers, asked me to give him my right hand, placed it on a stamp, and pressed it on the paper along with my fingers and thumb.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Did he tell you why he was doing that?
Ousainou Bojang: No, he didn’t tell me.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Can you recall any other encounter with Sowe?
Ousainou Bojang: That night he took my thumb and started pressing it on papers and then returned me to the cell.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Have you given a statement before the thumbprint?
Ousainou Bojang: No, I didn’t give any statement before.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Have you ever encountered any other police officers at the Anti-Crime Unit?
Ousainou Bojang: On Thursday, Ebou Sowe came and took me out of my cell.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Do you recall what time that was?
Ousainou Bojang: It was late at night.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Did anything happen?
Ousainou Bojang: Yes, he took me to an office with someone else and met two PIU officers with a gun.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Do you know the PIU officers?
Ousainou Bojang: If I see them I can recognize them, but I don’t know them.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Did anything happen?
Ousainou Bojang: When I reached the office, he asked me to sit on a long chair, asked the PIU officer to wait outside at the door, and then asked me if I wanted to drink coffee. I replied that if I had coffee, I would drink it.
He took out coffee from his flash bottle, put it in a cup, handed it to me, and I started drinking the coffee. After drinking it, I started feeling dizzy, lost awareness of my body, and didn’t notice myself until the next morning in a cell.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Did you walk back to the cell by yourself?
Ousainous J. Darboe: I was not aware when I left the office to the cell.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Did you encounter any police officers in another capacity at the Anti-Crime?
Ousainou Bojang: On Friday after the panel, they took me back to the cells, I was in the cell until late in the night three men came there one was named Sub-Inspector (SI) Kebba Jobe, Musa Bah and the third was a PIU officer but I don’t know his name. They took me out of the cell and took me somewhere inside the camp. SI Jobe said you are not ready tell us the truth that you killed the two PIU officers. I told him I didn’t do that I had no gun to do such and I had never held a gun in my life. He then told me today they would suffocate me to death and he asked me whether I had the name of the Junglers. I replied that I didn’t know the Junglers and he said they were more aggressive than the Junglers and today will be my last day unless I tell them where I kept the gun.
I told him that I never touched or had a gun in my entire life. SI Jobe then instructed them to remove the handcuffs from my hand and cuff me on the wall by cuffing my hand on the window. SI Jobe was having a baton and he asked Musa to cuff my legs. He asked me confess and I replied I didn’t do anything to confess.
SI Jobe started beating me while Musa Bah was having a cutlass while SI Jobe was beaten Musa Bah was also beating me with the cutlass with the side of the cutlass.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Where was he beaten you?
Ousainou Bojang: On my bottocks, while Musa Jobe was beaten me using the baton and marks are on my back.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Do you want to show it to the court?
Ousainou Bojang: Yes, if the court allows.
The court indicates that by looking at the back of the accused it will be difficult for the court to determine whether it was a fresh or old wound and it requires an expert to examine it. Counsel Lamin J. Darboe agreed to withdraw the question
Counsel Lamin J Darboe: What happened then?
Ousainou Bojang: I was then taken back to the cell.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Did you confess after that experience in the hands of SI and Musa Bah?
Ousainou Bojang: I never confessed and told them to kill me if they wish, but I will never accept something that I have not done
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe: Did you leave any confessional statement to anybody?
Ousainou Bojang: No, I have never given to anybody?
Read our next edition tomorrow for the cross-examination by the Director of Public Prosecution Abdul Maita Yusuf.
The case will proceed today with the cross-examination of the witness/accused person.
