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'I saw multitude of armed men heading for Babylon'

Apr 28, 2008, 6:10 AM | Article By: By A. Nyockeh

The 2ndprosecution witness in the trial of the 95 Babylon 'assailants' has said that on March 25, he saw a multitude of armed people coming from Makumbaya to Babylon but was not in the picture as to their mission.

Sheikh Sonna, a resident of Kerewan village in Kombo North, on April 23 told the Brikama Magistrates' Court that he was on this fateful day going to visit the 'self-styled' Alkalo of Babylon when he encountered a group of people heading for Babylon.

He informed the court that the men were at the time armed with guns and cutlasses.

"The men first descended on the home of Ebou Fofana. After demolishing Ebou's house, they proceeded to Lamin Jarju's compound and set his vehicle ablaze. From Jarju's, they advanced to the houses of Saikou Sarr to burn his properties. They later surrounded the compound of Pa but by this time soldiers had arrived at the theatre of the arson attacks," recalled Sonna.

Under cross-examination, however, defense counsel Antouman Gaye put it to Sonna that all that he said were invented as he was merely in court to help the 'self-acclaimed' Alkalo of Babylon.