Defence opened on Monday in a rape case involving one
Ousman Baldeh at the Special Criminal Court in Banjul before Justice Emmanuel
Nkea.
The accused, Ousman Baldeh, told the court that he lives in Sanchaba Touba, and was aware of the charge preferred against him, which he denied.
He added that he lived in the same compound with the victim and, on the day in question, he was laundering his clothes and called the victim and sent her to the shop to buy Omo for him.
He said when the victim was coming from the shop, and as the victim approached him, she fell down on her face, and he raised her up.
Designated as defence witness one (DW1), the accused added that PW4, Awa Barry, came and asked him what the victim was crying about, and he told PW4 that the victim had fallen down on her face.
“PW4 said that was not true. I wanted to rape the victim. I also told her that was not true,” he said.
He said that if he wanted a woman, he would have got one, adding that he had a problem earlier with PW4, because she came to borrow money from him, and he refused.
“PW4 later gave my number to the police and the police called me, and later came and effected arrest on me,” he said, adding that the police informed him that PW4 said she saw him having sex with the victim, which he said he denied because the victim had never entered his room.
The case continues on 14 November 2012, for cross-examination.
