Former deputy Sheriff, others trial progresses

The case involving Gibril Badjie, former deputy Sheriff of the High Court, and three others yesterday proceeded at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.

Mr. Badgie, alongside Momodou Mamour Ceesay, Alimo Bah and Ebrima Karris, were arraigned on charges of conspiracy to commit felony, theft, trustees fraudulently disposing of trust property and abuse of office, charges they had denied.

Testifying, Muhammed Sowe, a prosecution witness attached to the Major Crime Unit of the police, told the court that he knew the accused persons and obtained their cautionary statements.

He adduced that he invited an independent witness, one Ebrima Jallow, adding that he read the cautionary wording to them which they confirmed to understand.

“The first accused, Momodou Mamour Ceesay signed and the independent witness also signed,” said the witness, noting that the accused wrote the said statement.

According to Sowe, he read the voluntary statement to the accused person and he claimed to understand, revealing that the accused signed, the independent witness signed and he too endorsed the document.

Asked whether he would recognize the statements, the witness replied in the positive.

The documents recognized by the witness were tendered and admitted in evidence without any objection.

Asked by the state counsel what he did in respect of obtaining the statement from the third accused, Alimo Bah, Sowe told the court that he only obtained the cautionary statement from him.

“I applied the same format as the previous one, when I was taking the third accused person’s statement,” added the witness.

Still testifying, Sowe told the court that all the charges on the statement were written by him, except the cautionary which was written by the third accused himself.

The said document was also recognized by the witness and was tendered and admitted in evidence as an exhibit without any objection.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel, Badou Conteh, the witness, admitted that he did not do any other thing, apart from obtaining the first accused person’s statements, and well knew nothing about the case.

The case was adjourned till 7 March 2012.