By Yankuba Jallow
Sub Inspector Pierre Mendy of the Anti-Crime Unit of the Gambia Police Force has on Monday the 26th November given testimony on how Gambian rapper, Killa Ace was arrested by the Police.
Ali Cham alias Killa Ace is facing three counts of criminal offences namely; prohibition of conduct conducive to the breach of peace, assaulting a Police Officer in the execution of his duty and wilful damage to property.
The musician has denied any wrong doing by pleading not guilty to all the criminal charges he is facing.
In his testimony, Mendy said he is attached to the Investigation Unit of the Anti-Crime Unit.
He said on the 29th October 2018, he was on duties at the Anti-Crime Unit office in Bijilo at around 10 pm where he joined a team for a raid at the Serrekunda Black Market. The witness told the court that the Serrekunda Black Market is a place where suspected stolen properties are sold at night.
He adduced that they met the accused person at the market junction with a bag. He added that he identified himself to the accused person as a police officer by showing him his warrant card.
“I instructed him to open his bag for a search which he refused. I held the bag but he hit my hand. The accused person told me that I am a dirty police officer to conduct a search on his bag,” the witness said.
Before he was arrested at the junction, the accused person refused the search. He did not open his bag and did not allow him (the witness) to get his bag for a search.
Moreover, the witness said the accused person used abusive words against the police.
“The accused person told me the Inspector General of Police did not send any police officer to the Black Market to arrest people because we are in democracy. He was arrested and taken to the Serrekunda Police Station,” the witness said.
The witness said the accused person was put on cuff to prevent escape because there were many people at the market.
At the said police station, the witness adduced that one Detective Sergeant Jobe instructed one First Class Bah to take off the hand cuff on the accused person’s hands.
“Immediately Bah opened one hand of the accused person, he (the accused person) slapped him (Bah) on the left eye and punched him on the mouth. He further jumped on Bah which caused Bah’s uniform to be torn and his upper shirt button was cut-off. “He was insulting bitterly,” he said.
On their way to transport the accused person to the Anti-Crime Unit based in Bijilo, the witness said the accused person threatened to commit suicide whilst they were in the moving pickup.
“He jumped out of the running pickup and was caught by Sergeant Ceesay. He was taken to the base in Bijilo for further police action,” he said.
“At the police station, was he finally charged?” asked Sub Inspector Bobb, the prosecuting officer.
The witness said he could not remember whether the accused person was searched or not.
“Will be able to identify the uniform and on what basis?” Bobb asked.
The witness said all he knows about the uniform is that it is blue, it is torn and the upper button was cut-off. He added that he does not know which side of the uniform was torn.
Lawyer Patrick Gomez for the accused person told the court to put on record that the witness in his evidence said he does not know the side of the uniform that was torn and also he does not know whether the uniform is short or long slip. The trial magistrate, Magistrate Sainey Joof of the Kanifing Magistrates Court recorded it.
The matter was adjourned to the 3rd December 2018 at 11am for continuation of hearing.
