Fatou
Camara, UDP Ebo Town ward chairperson, on the 29th January, 2019, testified in
the case involving Yankuba Badjie and other former NIA officers before Justice
Kumba Sillah-Camara of the High Court in Banjul.
When
the case resumed, lawyer Antouman Gaye rose and told the court that he was
representing the state along with Combeh Gaye, Yassin Senghore and Counsel
Mendy. Counsels Mene, Jallow, Chime, Suso and Dago represented the defence.
She
told the court that Yankuba Colley, former mayor, and Yankuba Sonko, former IGP,
came, saying that there was a man who told Yankuba Colley that since the
incident happened in his municipality, they should negotiate for their release
but Yankuba Sonko said that they staged a coup d’ etat and they should be taken
to Mile 2. She added that, they numbered 20 and they were handcuffed and put
into the same truck and taken to Mile 2. She stated that Solo Sandeng and Kafu
Bayo were taken to the NIA headquarters in Banjul.
Fatou
Camara, in her testimony, told the court that she lives at Ebo Town and is 55
years old, and she is also a widow. She said that she has four boys and a girl.
She narrated that on the 14th April, 2016, she went out to attend a wedding
ceremony, noting that she proceeded to Serekunda Market to buy something for
the ceremony.
She
said that at Mile 2, she found David Colley and others, adding that they wanted
to put some wooden elements around her neck but she refused. She stated that it
was then put around the necks of other people, noting that she did not know the
purpose of the wooden elements. She disclosed that there was a woman called Maa
who called her and asked her where she was going, and she told her that they
had a wedding ceremony. She adduced that then Maa called a man and told him to
release her because she was going to attend a wedding ceremony but he refused.
She
further testified that she slept until late at night at Mile 2 and was taken to
the NIA in a vehicle along with Fatoumata Jawara, noting that she did not know
the person who took them to the NIA. She narrated that at the NIA, she heard
people screaming, stating that she was taken to a room where there was a long
table.
She
said that a man came and started asking questions, saying that Lang Marong,
herself and Fatoumata Jawara were taken to the room where they found many
people entering and going out. She
adduced that she was asked why she went to Westfield and asked further whether
she was asked by Ousainou Darboe to go there.
She
stated that she answered in the negative, noting that she told them that she
did not know whether people went out to stage a coup d’ etat, and that she did
not know those who were asking questions but would be able to recognise them if
she saw them. She revealed that during the interview, a man insulted her and
kicked the chair on which she was sitting, and she got up.
She
told the court that the chair went up to where Lang Marong was and got injured
on his side, adding that she was called to go outside by someone who spoke
Manjago.
She
revealed that the person she went to told her to go to Kanifing Sillah Kunda,
adding that when she was coming, she arrived at Westfield junction where she
found UDP members. She told the court that she is a UDP member, stating that
she asked Pa Lang Sonko and Solo Sandeng what happened at Westfield. She
adduced that they told her to go since she had a wedding ceremony and they
would tell her what happened later.
She
disclosed that she saw banners with the UDP members but did not know what was written on them and
she asked somebody to tell her what was written on the banners. She stated that
while she was sitting with some Fullas, a man dressed in white came, saying
that she saw Solo Sandeng talking with the man. She noted that the man left
after he spoke to Solo Sandeng.
She
told the court that there was a boy who sat near her and she asked him why he
was running away, adducing that the boy told her that the PIU officers had
arrived, and she told him to recite the Quran. She narrated further that people
were running as the PIU officers were beating them, indicating that she saw a woman who clapped her hands and told
her that she was a traitor.
She
stated that two PIU officers came and found her where she was sitting, adding
that she got up and the PIU officers slapped her. She said that one of the PIU
officers told the other that he should not have slapped her, noting that she
was taken to a truck and asked to climb. She testified that she was held and
thrown into the vehicle by the PIU officers, and that she was taken to the PIU
headquarters at Kanifing.
She
disclosed that they were brought down from the vehicle and asked to form a
line, saying that she could not count the number of people who were taken
there. She noted that a man came and said that they should be taken in a hall
and asked to sit on the floor around 2 p.m.
She said further that Nogoi Njie, Fatoumata Jawara, Pa Lang Sonko,
Muhamadou Jawneh, Kafu Bayo and Solo Sandeng were also with her.
Hearing
continues.