By Nelson Manneh
Lamin Sowe a senior Prison Officer at Mile 2 prison on Tuesday informed the Banjul high court that the 8th accused person in the ongoing criminal trial involving former staff of the National Intelligence Agency has sustained injuries at the remand wing of the aforesaid prison facility.
The former intelligence chiefs are standing trial on numerous offences ranging from conspiracy to commit felony, assault causing serious bodily harm, murder and making false documents amongst others. They all denied wrongdoing.
When the case was called before Justice Kumba Sillah-Camara of the Banjul High Court, Lamin Sowe, who was among those who escorted the accused persons to court, said Lamin Darboe, was electrocuted while doing electrical work at the Prison.
Sowe said Lamin, who is a technician, had told them that he did not want to lose his skills while he is in detention.
Sowe said Lamin was trying to fix some wires at the remand wing at Mile 2, and in the cause of doing that, he climbed on top of a metal ladder and in the process, he got electrocuted.
“He jumped and fell down, and then he was rushed to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul,” he said.
The Prison Officer told the court that when Lamin Darboe reached the hospital, X-rays were conducted and the results indicated that he has a fracture. He said the results showed the defendants two legs broke.
“His family was immediately contacted and he is currently undergoing treatment at Mile 2 Prison,’ he said.
Defence Lawyer Ceesay for the 8th accused person told the court that a medical report should be presented before the court to explain the injuries sustained by his client.
“Since the court deals with evidences, it is proper for a medical report to be presented before the court, so that it can explain what actually happened,” Justice Sillah-Camara said.
At this juncture the matter was then adjourned to the 26th of October 2020 for the defence to open their case and for the medical report to be presented.
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, an ex-deputy director of the said agency, passed away in Government custody, during the course of the trial. However, Yusupha Jammeh, the 6th accused person was acquitted by the Court, upon the State’s application.
