One Saidou
Bah accused of stealing was recently cross-examined before Magistrate Ibrahim
Kijera of the Bundung Magistrates’ Court.
Under cross-examination by the prosecution, the accused told the court he knew nothing in the alleged theft case in question.
“All what I know is that I did not steal anything and I did not even know the complainant,” he narrated.
He revealed that nothing was found on him but he was seriously beaten.
When it was put to him that he was never beaten at the time of his apprehension by the masses in the compound where he was caught, the accused adduced that the prosecutor was not the proper person to say that, as he was never present at the time of the incident.
“I was not beaten by the police, and I was not forced by the police, but I was beaten at the place of the alleged incident,” he said, adding that the people in that compound said all what he said was a lie, because he was not speaking the truth, even though he insisted that he was speaking the truth.
“I was not forced to give statement, and I stand by my statement. I told the police what I wanted to say and they wrote it down for me because I cannot read and write,” stated the accused.
He said he heard all what the witnesses said in court, but those witnesses were never present at the place of the incident, asking why could they come and give evidence in the case.
“They know nothing in this case, and all what they have said were lies,” he said, adding that if those witnesses were present at the scene of the incident, he would have seen them.
“If they appear here, I will recognize them,” he said, adding that he did not even know those witnesses.
The case continues.
