By Yankuba Jallow
In the NIA 9 case of Tuesday June 5th 2018, the Court discharged Yusupha Jammeh in the ongoing criminal trial of former Intelligence Officers.
This came about when the lead prosecutor Antouman AB Gaye, filed a motion before the Banjul High Court, presided over by Justice Kumba Sillah-Camara, to discharge Yusupha Jammeh, the fifth accused person in the trial. The prosecution relied on certain provisions of the Law from the Constitution and the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), to support the application. The Defence Counsels did not object to the application and the Court granted the motion and struck out the name of Yusupha Jammeh from the indictment.
The Defence Lawyers continued with the cross-examination of the seventeenth prosecution witness, Kafu Bayo. Lawyer Ibrahim Jallow for the third accused person Sheikh Omar Jeng, said the witness told the Court that at the time of their demonstration, he was the United Democratic Party’s Chairman in Tujereng Village and was part of the organisers of the demonstration.
“Did you obtain a permit before embarking on the demonstration?” asked Lawyer Ibrahim Jallow.
“Concerning the permit, it was the responsibility of Solo Sandeng to get it and he informed us that he was going to obtain the permit,” Bayo replied.
“Did he later inform you whether he had obtained the permit or not?” Jallow questioned.
“He informed us that we can come and that things were ready,” responded the witness.
“I am putting it to you that you didn’t obtain any permit before you embarked on this demonstration,” said Lawyer Jallow.
“I don’t have two minds about Solo Sandeng and I believed in what he told me,” Bayo replied.
“When the PIU officers came to West Field, did they ask for your permit,” Jallow asked.
“As I mentioned yesterday, they did not ask for anything from us when they arrived, because they started beating us as soon as they arrived. They used their black ‘thing’ to beat people but I was slapped,” Bayo responded.
“It is the same PIU officers who beat, arrested and escorted us to the NIA, where we were heavily chained. Some of us were lying down in the pickup whilst some of the PIU officers were standing,” he said.
The accused persons in this trial are Yankuba Badjie, the former Director General, Louis Gomez, former Deputy Director, Saikou Omar Jeng (alias Sir Jeng), the former Director of Operations, Haruna Susso, Yusupha Jammeh, Tamba Masireh, Lamin Darboe, Baboucarr Sallah, and Lamin Lang Sanyang.
The nine are standing trial on numerous offences ranging from conspiracy to commit felony, assault causing serious bodily harm, murder and making false documents amongst others. However, they all denied any wrongdoing and were remanded in custody.
The matter was adjourned till Wednesday June 6th 2018, at 12 noon for continuation of hearing.
