By Nelson Manneh
Muhammed Sandeng, the son of the late Solo Sandeng, yesterday February 26th 2019, continued his testimony before Justice Kumba Sillah-Camara of the Banjul High Court.
Muhammed Sandeng is the 29th prosecution witness in the ongoing criminal trial involving former Intelligence Chiefs who are standing trial on numerous offences ranging from conspiracy to commit the felony, assault causing serious bodily harm, murder and making false documents amongst others. They all denied wrongdoing.
The accused persons are Yankuba Badjie, an ex-director of the NIA, Sheikh Omar Jeng, an ex-director of operations at the NIA, Baboucar Sallah, Haruna Suso, Tamba Mansareh, Lamin Darboe, and Lamin Lang Sanyang. The 2nd accused person Louise Gomez, who was an ex-deputy director of the said agency, died whilst under the custody of the State, during the course of this trial. However, Yusupha Jammeh, the 6th accused person, was acquitted by the Court upon the State’s application for his acquittal. The son of the late Sandeng was reminded that in his previous testimony, he told the Court that the team who went to exhume the remains of his father, included one Mr. Jeng.
The witness confirmed that the person he was referring to, was Sheik Omar Jeng; that he was among the team who went to exhume the remains of his father in Tanji village; that on the 14th of April 2019, his father (the late Solo Sandeng), left the house without any injury on his body and did not complain of any respiratory illness.
During cross-examination, Muhammed Sandeng told the Court that he is twenty one years old, and is a student at the University of the Gambia; that he received a called that his father was arrested for his involvement in staging a protest; that when he asked his mother for confirmation, he was told that she had a phone called and was informed that his father was arrested by PIU Officers and was taken to the NIA headquarters.
The matter was then adjoined to the 5th of March 2019, at 1 pm for continuation.
