Sergeant 3560 Colley on 10 April 2014 continued his cross-examination of
Mass Kah, Foroyaa messenger, who is charged with sedition, before Magistrate
Isatou Janneh of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.
“Mr Kah, you will agree with me that PW1 at the time of pasting the photo on his car, he did not know the party you belong to,” Sergeant Colley said.
Lawyer S. Camara stood up and objected to the statement made by the prosecutor, stating that Mass Kah would not know whether PW1 knew the party he belongs.
The prosecuting officer, 3560 Colley, then withdrew the statement.
“PW1 did not know you and had nothing to do with you,” Colley put it to Mass Kah.
“I don’t know him and I did not talk to him,” said Mass Kah.
“You told him that you belong to Halifa Sallah’s party,” said Colley.
“Yes,” answer Mass Kah.
“Did you utter a statement: ‘If you wish you can paste the photo of the President on the Sky and I don’t care’?” Colley asked.
“No,” Mass Kah replied.
“I put it to you that you are the very one who said that and you said that in court when you gave evidence,” Colley challenged.
“I told him that if you want you can paste the photo of the APRC leader on the Sky,” added Mass Kah.
“You agree that you uttered that statement,” said Colley.
“Yes,” answered Mass Kah.
“It is also correct that you said Halifa Sallah is the only man who wears a pair of trousers and the rest are women,” stated Colley.
“I only said Halifa Sallah,” Mass Kah said.
“Then it would be correct to say that you also wear a wrapper,” Colley challenged.
“Yes,” stated Mass Kah.
“You will agree with me that you wear a pair of trousers and not a wrapper,” said Colley.
“Yes,” answered Mass Kah.
“Then with all due respect, you are lying when you said it is only Halifa Sallah who wears a pair of trousers,” Colley stated.
“It is just a saying,” Mass Kah replied.
“Is it correct that the photo which PW1 was pasting on his car was the photo of the President?” asked Colley.
“I know that it is the picture of the APRC leader,” said Mass Kah.
“Mr Kah, you also told this court that at Latrikunda Police Post you said that you will reserve your opinion but they insisted that you had to make a statement,” added Colley.
“Yes,” answered Mass Kah.
“Were you forced to give a statement?” enquired Colley.
“No,” replied Mass Kah.
“Were you also threatened by the police?” asked Colley.
“No,” Mass Kah answered.
“Therefore I put it to you that you voluntarily gave your statement,” Colley said.
“No,” said Mass Kah.
“And you also told this court that at the Serrekunda Police Station you gave a statement,” stated Colley.
“Yes,” said Mass Kah.
“You further told the court that at Kotu Police you also gave a statement,” Colley posited.
“Yes,” said Mass Kah.
“Then it means you gave three statements at different places,” added Colley.
“Yes, but they are the same,” Mass Kah said.
“I put it to you that you gave a statement at Latrikunda Police Post and the rest you were just detained,” Colley said.
“No, it is not true,” Mass Kah replied.
“And did you say in your evidence-in-chief that one Mr Jaiteh came to intervene during your confrontation with PW1 that you were being provoked?” Colley asked.
“No, I said Mr Jaiteh said I was being challenged,” Mass Kah answered.
“Did you say that at the police station?" questioned Colley.
“Yes,” said Mass Kah.
“I put it to you that you never said so at the police station because it did not happen, and Mr Jaiteh was not there,” Colley challenged.
“He was there,” said Mass Kah.
“And you will also agree with me that all the witnesses never said that Mr Jaiteh was present,” Colley put it to Mass Kah.
“He was a passer-by,” Mass Kah said.
“You also told the court that you were provoked by PW1 and PW3,” stated Colley.
“Yes,” answered Mass Kah.
“Can you tell the court how you were provoked?” asked Colley.
“They were saying bad things about my party leader,” stated Mass Kah.
“What did they say about Halifa Sallah?” Colley enquired.
“I can’t remember all but they said Halifa will not rule the nation for many years,” said Mass Kah.
“I put it to you that PW1 and PW3 never said so,” Colley challenged.
“They said so and this is why I told them that it is only Halifa who wears a pair of trousers,” Mass Kah stated.
“Didn’t you tell the court that you were talking to Mr Jaiteh and not any other person?” Colley asked.
“Yes,” said Mass Kah.
“Then you will be lying that PW1 and PW3 were provoking you because you said you were talking to Mr Jaiteh,” said Colley.
“I said the truth,” Mass Kah added.
“Now, you also told the court that PW1 and PW3 told you that PDOIS people know nothing,” Colley said.
“They said Halifa knows nothing,” Mass Kah added.
“You also told the court that they told you that you are an illiterate,” said Colley.
“Yes,” replied Mass Kah.
“Is it not correct that you are an illiterate?” asked Colley.
“I am educated,” Mass Kah stated.
“I put it to you that the statement you uttered showed disrespect to the public that Halifa is the only one who wears a pair of trousers,” said Colley.
“No,” stated Mass Kah.
“You have also shown total disrespect to the President by saying that if they wanted, they could paste the photo of the President on the Sky,” stated Colley.
“No, I did not reach that stage,” said Mass Kah.
“What did you mean by that statement?” enquired Colley.
“I saw it as a promotion but not disrespect,” said Mass kah.
“I put it to you that it is not a promotion because if it is on the sky, people will not see it,” Colley challenged.
“It is a promotion to put something on the sky,” Mass Kah repeated.
The case was adjourned till 15 May 2014, for the prosecution and the defence to file their briefs.
