Defence Motion Over Rule, PW1 Opens Testimony

• Posted by Modou S. Joof on May 22, 2010 at 12:38pm
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Banjul, The Gambia (TNBES) Emmanuel Amadi the presiding judge in the criminal trial involving Ex-IGP Ensa Badjie, Mam Matarr Secka and Major Kuluteh Manneh has over ruled the defence counsel’s application to strike-out some of  the charges against the accused person.

The High Court judge also ordered for the first Prosecution Witness (PW1) Sillah Ba Samateh, a businessmen reside in Brusubi to open his testimony. Testifying before the Court  on 14^th May 2010, Sillah Ba Samateh said he new all accused persons and that he can remember the year 2009.

He said he knew Ensa Badjie, the 1^st accused person in 2009 through one Kawsu Gassama who works at the Airport. He added that after being introduced to Ensa Badjie, two weeks later he received a called from someone he identified only as Arret who told him that she needs a compound but her money is with the first
accused person (Ensa Badjie) and that he (Sillah Ba) should go and collect the  money amounting to One Point Five Million Dalasis (1.5 million) from Ensa Badjie.

Samateh told the Court that he went to Ex-IGP Badjie’s compound and asked him about the money and he asked him come to his office the following day to collect the said  money.

On the following day according to him, he went to the office to asked for the money, but IGP Badjie was very arrogant to him and even went to an extent of slapping him on  his face and with abusive languages. PW1 added that Ensa Badjie told him that  “you don’t know that I am the head of the police in this country and that
whatever I want is what I will do and nothing will come out of it.”

Sillah Ba Samateh also told the Court that he was detained for two days under the command of the Ex-IGP Ensa Badjie (1^st accused person), and after his  released from the detention, two weeks later Ex-IGP Badjie came to his compound at Brusubi to collect his telephone number and apologies to him for his actions.

He said that Ensa Badjie asked him what his job was and he replied that he is a house contractor. He also said Ex-IGP Badjie asked him to take him to his work place were he was building a shopping centre, which he did.

Samateh informed the court that, two days later the first accused (Ex-IGP Badjie) called him to meet with him at his work place at Brusubi, hundred meters away from the turn table toward Brufut which he did.

He told the court that, when they met at the said place the first accused (Ex-IGP Badjie) brought him some thing like precious stone (crystal), diamond and there was a flower tied which seems that there was drug (cocaine) in it.

According to him Ensa Badjie told him that if any body asked him about the source of the items he should told them that it was given to him by President (Yaya Jammeh) adding that he (1^st accused) told him that he is ready to help him in any way he could and at that juncture he (1^st accused) took his phone and called one Edrissu and spoke with him.

PW1 told the Court that, the first accused told him that the items he gave him are samples for who ever needs it. He further told the court that, the first accused told him that those items will be shown to a person who needs it and that persons will be brought to him (PW1) by Edrissu.

According to him, he was to shown the items to those interested in it to get money from them but not to give out the said items. He also told the court that after some time, Ensa Badjie (1^st accused), Seckabay, Edrissu and himself call a meeting at his work place.

At this point, the case was adjourned till 19^th May, 2010 for continuation of PW1’s testimony. Vol:2 Issn:185