Defence
opened yesterday in the murder case involving one Lamin Ceesay, a native of
Brikamaba Village, Lower Fulladu West district of the Central River Region, at
the Special Criminal Court in Banjul before Justice Emmanuel Nkea.
In his defence, Lamin Ceesay told the court he lives at Bakau, and that he knows the deceased, Lamin Bayo, but denied killing him.
“I did not stab the deceased, Lamin Bayo, with a knife on his neck,” he said, adducing that the deceased had stolen his property and he attempted to beat him, but he ran away.
He added that no knife was found in his possession as alleged by one Lamin Fatty.
DW1 further told the court that what was found in his pocket was a nail cutter, and he denied running away for the fear of being arrested.
“I was arrested in my compound,” he explained, stating that about ten people came to effect arrest on him while he was lying on a bamboo bed at Wandefa Yerrayang’s compound in Brikamaba.
He stated that the only reason he went to Wandefa Yerrajang’s compound was because his door was locked at that time.
Ceesay added that he was arrested by officers at the Brikamaba Police Station where the officers asked him to write a statement, which he denied.
“I told them that I would not write anything since I have not committed any murder. I did not fight with anybody, and I did not confess that I murdered the late Lamin Bayo, as alleged by officer Dumbuya,” he added.
Officer Dumbuya was telling lies when he said he confessed killing the deceased, he said.
He said he was never found with a knife in his pocket but a nail cutter was found on him but was not stained with blood.
“It was in my pocket and all what the witnesses said against me were lies. They were not based on truth,” he stated.
The case continues.
