Sheik Mafuji Jarju, a resident of
Testifying before the court, the first prosecution witness, Sheik Mafuji Jarju told the court that he is a farmer and he knew the accused person.
According to him, on 13th November 2009, his children Ousman Jarju and Lamin Jammeh went to the farm in the morning only to come back to inform him that his groundnut heap was set on fire.
He testified that he asked his children to go back to the farm, while he went to report the matter to the village Alkalo who went with him to the place.
Mr. Jarjue adduced that upon arrival at the farm, they found that the heap of groundnut was burnt into ashes. He said it was there that the Alkalo asked him with whom he had a problem with prior to the incident.
He said he told the Alkalo that he had a problem with the accused on the day before his heap of groundnut was burnt, stating that a red band was found there which was owned by the accused person.
According to PW1, a day before his heap of groundnut was set on fire, the accused went to the farm to tap palm wine when he asked him to stop tapping from there.
He adduced that the accused forgot his rope that he used to climb and after a while he came with two other boys to the farm to collect it when he told them that he will not give it to them. As he put it, he earlier warned them not to tap palm wine from the vicinity.
According to him, when the other boys appealed to him, he gave it back to them. Following this, he said his heap of groundnut was then set on fire the following day.
The case continues.
