An audio cassette, alleged to contain the interview by Ms Ndey Tapha Sosseh, former president of the Gambia Press Union, and the “secretary general” of Coalition for Change The Gambia (CCG), and Dr Amadou Scattred Janneh, former Information minister, was yesterday played in an open court during the proceedings on Day 6 of the ongoing treason trial at the Special Criminal Court in Banjul.
This development followed the testimony of Ousman Tom, a police investigating officer and the seventh prosecution witness in the trial of Dr Janneh, and three others before Justice Emmanuel Nkea.
The witness, who earlier told the special criminal court that he transcribed the audio CCG press release and submitted it to the panel, added that another audio interview was in a computer hard drive, and was conducted by Ndey Tapha Sosseh.
Consequently, yesterday’s proceedings witnessed the playing of the cassette allegedly containing the interview of Ndey Tapha and Dr Janneh, in court.
Following the playing of the audio cassette in the court room, the case was subsequently adjourned till 14th November 2011, for the witness to continue in his evidence in chief.
Dr. Janneh, a former political science professor in the US and at one time the political and economic affairs officer at the US Embassy in Banjul, was accused of conspiring with others to effect an enterprise with force, with the intent to usurp the executive powers of the state, in the month of May 2011 at Kairaba Avenue and diverse places in The Gambia.
He was also accused of distributing T-shirts bearing ‘Coalition for Change The Gambia, End to Dictatorship Now’ with intent to usurp the executive powers of the state, in May 2011 at Kairaba Avenue and diverse places in The Gambia.
On count three, prosecutors said the accused person in the month of May 2011 at Kairaba Avenue and diverse places in The Gambia distributed T-shirts bearing ‘Coalition for Change The Gambia, End to Dictatorship Now’ with intent to incite the inhabitants of The Gambia to attempt to procure the alteration otherwise than by lawful means of any matter in The Gambia as established by law.
