By Kemeseng Sanneh (Kexx)
Omar Drammeh, a police sergeant working at the Anti-Crime Unit of the Gambia Police Force on Monday testified in Gorgi Sowe’s murder trial. Gorgi Sowe also known as Yugo Sowe is standing trial on charges of attempted murder, and assault causing bodily harm. The accused person allegedly cut the body of his first wife (name withheld) in Brikama Jalanbang. He denied the charges leveled against him.
The policeman said he recovered a cutlass and blood-stained clothes.
The witness works in the Anti-Crime patrol team. He said he recognised the accused person.
He recounted that on 16 November 2023, he received a call from one Sheriffo Camara while on patrol regarding an alleged attack on an old woman by armed robbers around the Jalangbang area requesting police intervention.
He testified that they proceeded to the place and encountered a group of people, from which one claimed to be the victim’s husband. He said the husband stated that while sleeping he was informed that his first wife (the victim) was attacked by armed robbers. The policeman said the accused person had said he has two wives and was sleeping in the room of his second wife.
The witness said he instructed the husband to board the vehicle to go with them to the wife’s house. He said when they arrived there, the wife began shouting and saying something in the Fula language. He added that he does not understand Fula, but one of his colleagues interpreted her statement. The woman was screaming that her husband was the person who attacked her and cut her legs and hands.
The policeman said he did not believe the wife initially and he decided to bring the man in front of the woman. He added that the woman repeated the same statements. The husband was arrested while the victim was rushed to the Brikama Health District Hospital for treatment as she was bleeding seriously and was covered in a mattress. He testified that she was attended by a nurse and transferred to Ndemban Hospital.
The witness said they went back to gather more evidence and this time they visited the second wife’s house, who informed them that she spent the night with her husband. However, the police officer said the woman added that there was a point when he (husband) woke up claiming that he wanted to use the toilet. The officer narrated that the woman told them the husband did not return until after an hour when she had already slept.
The witness said that his team searched the second wife’s house and found a cutlass hidden under the bed with pieces of the mattress on it and clothes stained with blood. The policeman said when the woman was asked whether the clothes were male or female clothes, she responded they were male clothes.
The witness said the wife informed them that the cutlass and the clothes stained with blood both belonged to her husband – the accused person.
The police brought the mattress, cutlass, and clothes with blood-stained but didn’t tender it. The case was adjourned to today for continuation.
