Ex-IGP Badjie continues defence testimony

Ex-police chief Ensa Badjie yesterday continued his defence testimony, in the case involving him and two senior military officers namely, Lt. Col Mam Matarr Secka and Major Kuluteh Manneh, at the Special Criminal Court in Banjul.

Under cross-examination, Ensa Badjie told the court that he had four compounds which he built himself, adding that he acquired the first compound during the PPP regime when he was a constable.

He said he acquired the second compound when he was a sergeant, the third in 2005, when he returned from a mission in Sudan, and the fourth compound he got when he was appointed as the Inspector General of Police.

Badjie added that before he left for the mission in Sudan, he was working and earning money, further stating that he could not recall the amount of money given to him when he was constructing his first house, but he knew that his family had contributed.

“All my houses were built by my efforts,” the former police chief told the court.

He adduced that he could not quantify the contribution of his family towards the construction of his houses, stating that the contribution of Amadou Samba of Gacem Cement Company was less than a quarter of his own money.

He denied the accusation that he used his influence as the IGP to collect gifts from people, adding that it was only Amadou Samba, from whom he sought the assistance while constructing his house.

The case continues today.