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Fatou Mendy denies conspiracy against Ensa Badjie

Jul 26, 2010, 3:02 PM | Article By: Sainey M.K. Marenah

Mrs. Fatou Mendy, the sixth prosecution witness in the robbery trial of the ex-Inspector General of Police Ensa Badjie and Chief Superintendent of Prisons Ali Ceesay, has denied the assertion by counsel that she was part of a conspiracy to put Ensa Badjie in trouble.

"God knows I have nothing against the 1st accused," she told the court on Friday, when she finished testifying at the Special Criminal Court of the high court in Banjul.

Concluding her testimony before Justice Ikpala, Fatou Mendy told the court that she will not recognise the prison officer who escorted the first prosecution witness, Soriba Condeh, during their discussion at Mile 2 Prison.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel B.S. Touray, Mrs. Mendy admitted that she is also known as Fatou Joko Mendy, and when asked by the counsel about her husband, she said her husband, Omar Touray, is presently in his sick bed.

Quizzed further by counsel, who asked whether Omar Touray is her first husband, she replied that her first husband is a resident of Sukuta, called Pa Trawally, who works with NAWEC.

When counsel put it to her that her husband was accused of stealing cigarettes, she told the court that Soriba Condeh did tell her it was her husband's fault to meet Landing Bojang, which led to the arrest.

Further asked by counsel about her husband's nationality, she replied that he is a Guinean national, and went on to deny that Omar Touray was ever deported, when BS Touray put it to her that he was deported.

"I am putting it to you that it was the first accused who surrendered your husband to Gibboro Immigration Post for his deportation," said counsel.

Fatou Mendy told the court that she never had any problems with Ensa Badjie. The court was also told that when she wanted to bail Soriba Condeh at the Bakoteh Police Station, the police officers there refused on the grounds that she is a woman, but after consultation with Ensa Badjie she was allowed, and Condeh was granted bail.

She further told the court that she cannot remember the month when Condeh gave her the nylon bag containing the money, but it was in the year 2007, when she was asked by counsel.

On this matter, she told the court that all what she was saying was that a nylon bag was entrusted to her, after which the owner retrieved it.

She also denied the assertion of BS Touray that the 1st accused pushed her, and sent her away from Serrekunda Police Station, when she went there to bail her husband.

She admitted that her statement was recorded at the NIA, but not at police headquarters.

Fatou Mendy also denied the assertion that, in 2007, she was invited for a confrontation on the same allegations against the 1st accused. She said that if she were called, she would have answered to the call.

She added that she did not know of any bad blood between Landing Bojang and the 1st accused person, Ensa Badjie.

Mrs. Mendy also denied the allegation made by the fifth prosecution witness that she was having an affair with Landing Bojang, when told by the defence counsel that PW5 said in court that the two were having an affair.

She had never had time to discuss with Landing Bojang, and did not know whether Landing Bojang was once sacked from the police force, the witness further testified.

Hearing continues today.