By Kemeseng Sanneh (Kexx)
Senior Lawyer Omar Suso continued with his cross-examination of a policewoman in the murder trial of Adama Tine, who allegedly killed Fatoumata Kargbo at an exchange bureau at Westfield.
The witness had earlier testified that she was standing at the Bloom Bank Branch at Westfield. She explained that she saw Fatoumata Kargbo (the deceased) coming out of the bureau and falling on the fall. She claimed that she died at the spot. The reason for making this claim was that the deceased was motionless. She testified that the amount of blood that oozed from the deceased was huge. She further testified that she saw the accused person (Adama Tine) also coming out of the Bureau and behind the deceased with a knife. She narrated how she informed the paramilitary unit at Kanifing to come to the scene.
She was being cross-examined based on her testimony by Defence Counsel O. Suso.
Defense Counsel O. Susso: Will you agree with me that there is a junction or road between Bloom Bank and the Forex bureau?
Isatou M. Barry: Yes, there is a road.
Defense Counsel O. Susso: Would you agree with me that Bloom Bank and the bureau are closed to Alvihag [Supermarket]?
Isatou M. Barry: Yes.
Defense Counsel O. Susso: Would you agree that Alvihag is a busy commercial area with frequent vehicle parking?
Isatou M. Barry: Yes, it is busy, although vehicles are not always parked.
Defense Counsel O. Susso: In your initial statement, you mentioned seeing a woman coming from the Bureau de Change.
Isatou M. Barry: Yes, that is correct.
Defense Counsel O. Susso: Given that you observed a woman coming from the Bureau de Change, do you agree that the alleged incident occurred inside the bureau?
Isatou M. Barry: The lady came from the bureau, fell, and the accused did not touch her. Therefore, if anything happened, it must have taken place inside the bureau.
Defense Counsel O. Susso: Since you cannot attest to what occurred inside the bureau, your testimony is confined to what you witnessed outside.
Isatou M. Barry: Yes, I can only speak to what I saw outside.
Defense Counsel O. Susso: Miss Barry, if your testimony is limited to outside observations and you did not witness the events inside, what led you to conclude that the accused was an armed robber?
Isatou M. Barry: The lady ran out of the bureau, pursued by the accused who was carrying a knife, a cross bag, and a jacket. No one else exited the bureau.
Defense Counsel O. Susso: Considering the distance between Bloom Bank and the Bureau de Change, it is accurate to say you were not the first to arrive at the scene?
Isatou M. Barry: I was not the first but the third person to reach the scene.
The presiding judge, Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, adjourned the case to the 20th of May 2024 at 11 am.
