By Yankuba Jallow
Nogoi Njie of the United Democratic Party has continued her testimony as the 26th prosecution witness in the ongoing criminal trial involving former chiefs of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
When the case was called on Wednesday before Justice Kumba Sillah-Camara of the Banjul High Court, Lawyer Antouman Gaye, Counsels R.Y. Mendy, Y. Senghore and Combeh Gaye appeared for the State. Counsels E.E. Chime, I. Jallow, S. Fatty and Suso represented the accused persons.
Counsel Rachel Y. Mendy led the witness, Nogoi Njie. The prosecutor asked her what she did when she found that the meeting at the UDP bureau in Manjai had finished. In response, she told the court that she did nothing. She testified that after the meeting, she boarded a vehicle and went to Westfield for a demonstration to show their anger to the public.
She adduced that she could not mention all those who were on the demonstration but could remember some of them including Lamin Cham, Solo Sandeng, Modou Ngum, Kafu Bayo and Lamin Jatta. She added that they demonstrated because they wanted the IEC to make electoral reform.
Further testifying, Mrs. Njie told the court that the PIU came and arrested them, noting that some ran away and some disappeared, and that she couldn’t run. She disclosed that they had confrontation with the police before their subsequent arrest. She informed the court that Commissioner Sanneh made a telephone call, and later she saw the PIU arriving and asked them to disperse, adding that some of them ran away and those who stayed were arrested. She narrated that they moved from where they were and went to the other side. She testified that Commissioner Sanneh communicated with Solo Sandeng, further stating that Commissioner Sanneh told Solo Sandeng to go to the police station and they would discuss.
She said they were taken to the PIU Headquarters and she and four others were taken to the NIA headquarters. She said she refused for the NIA to cover her eyes with a piece of cloth.
The matter was adjourned till Monday the 21st January 2019 at 1 pm for the continuation of hearing of PW26.
