Ex-IGP Badjie continues defence testimony

Ex-police chief Ensa Badjie yesterday denied in the court that he was not on speaking terms with the former Crime Management Coordinator (CMC) Burama Dibba, noting that he used to be a good friend of Dibba as he (Badjie) had worked under him for many years before being Inspector General of Police.

Badjie was continuing his testimony in the case involving him and Tijan Badjie, former police prosecutor, at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before Principal Taiwo Ade Alagbe.

The two are standing trial on a four-count charge of conspiracy to defeat justice, destroying evidence, abuse of office and deceiving witnesses.

Badjie told the court that Interior Minister Ousman Sonko had instructed him that Burama Dibba should be charged, because he investigated the allegation against Musa Susso and David Colley.

He said it was contained in two CD 90 cassettes, and this led to the dismissal of the former prisons director-general, but he was later reinstated.

Badjie alleged in his testimony that some female prison officers accused the Interior Minister, Ousman Sonko, former NDEA Executive Director, Bun Sanneh, and David Colley, former Prisons Director General of having sexual intercourse during their tour in 2006.

He added that Dibba was charged with giving false information to a public officer.

Ex-IGP pointed out that the false information which Dibba was charged with was in connection to the issue of satellite disc given to the prisons by one Ndey Conteh, and the issue of a master key to open prison cells for inmates, which was also found to be false, as well as the issue of painting two prison trucks.

When asked whether he had conspired with the second accused person, Ensa Badjie said it had never happened in his life when he was the IGP.

He added that one thing he knew was that one day he was in office when his orderly informed him that Tijan Badjie wanted to see him, and was given the greenlight to see him.

Further asked by his counsel whether the second accused person was his family brother, Badjie replied, “No, we are not brothers.”

He noted that Tijan Badjie, the second accused, came and informed him that he did not have the panel report, and he asked him to go to the current IGP Yankuba Sonko, who is now the IGP.

The office of the Inspector General of Police had never authorised for any file for prosecution, but instead that was the duty of the officer commanding prosecution.

He revealed that Musa Susso said he painted two prison trucks, and that David Colley had brought the carcass of a bull to the prison to feed the inmates, resulting in the death of many inmates at the Mile 2 Central Prisons.

Musa Susso was later investigated, and it was found out that all what he had said was not true, Badjie told the court.

The case was then adjourned till 18 October 2012, for continuation.