Barra murder trial opens

The trial on a charge of murder involving one Ndey Janneh, a Senagalese national residing at Barra in the Lower Nuimi district of the North Bank Region, commenced on 2nd November 2011 at the Special Criminal Court in Banjul.

Testifying for the prosecution, Jamanty Kebbeh, a police officer attached to the Major Crime Unit at police headquarters in Banjul, told the court that he recognized the accused person.

He adduced that he obtained both voluntary and cautionary statements from the accused person in the presence of an independent witness, one Ebrima Jallow.

He said he read out the cautionary wording to the accused, which she said she understood and signed, the independent witness and Kebbeh also signed the statement.

Under cross-examination, the witness told the court that he did not investigate the case, adding that he was not in a position to say what happened, because he was not at the scene.

“I cannot tell how long the deceased spent at the hospital,” he stated, adding that the accused was also hospitalized, but he did not know the profession of the accused person.

The witness admitted knowing that there was a fight between the deceased and the accused person.

The case continues on 14 November 2011.

It was alleged that Ndey Janneh murdered one Fatou Faye, by stabbing her with a broken bottle on her neck, at Barra Njacko Town on 14 April 2011.