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Isatou Foon murder trial resumes, two major crime officers testify

Mar 1, 2010, 11:38 AM | Article By: Sainey M.K. Marenah

The murder trial involving Isatou Foon resumed recently at the Special Criminal Court of the High Court in Banjul.

Isatou Foon was indicted by state prosecutors at the Attorney-General's Chambers for allegedly causing the death of her daughter.

She allegedly strangled her daughter in the sea with a rope, knowing that death was the probable consequence of such action.

At the recent court sitting, the prosecution led by the deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Abdullahi, called two state witnesses to testify.

The first to testify was one Demba Saidy, said to be a police officer attached at the Major Crime Unit of the police force.

Officer Saidy adduced that he recognised the accused and came to know her because of this case.

"I was in my office and received a call from Kotu police in connection with a murder case at Palm Rima Beach. Myself, ASP Malamin Ceesay and other men left for the Kotu Police Station, and on our arrival, found both the accused and the deceased there," he told the court.

He adduced that they escorted the deceased to Afrimed Clinic to know her condition, and where her death was confirmed.

He said one Lamin Manneh showed them a 17.7 cm long rope purportedly used by the accused to strangle the deceased.

The said rope was tendered by state prosecutor Mr. Abdullahi as an exhibit without any objection from the defence counsel, Pap Cheyassin Secka.

Next to give testimony was Jerreh Marenah, also a police officer attached to the Major Crime Unit.

Jerreh Marenah told the court that he recognised the accused, adding that on the day in question he was called by his boss to take a snap photograph of the corpse after the postmortem conducted at the Royal Victorian Teaching Hospital (RVTH) in Banjul.

He adduced that upon arrival at the RVTH he met Dr. Ceesay and then took some photos of the deceased, which he printed and enlarged and attached the negatives.

The pictures were tendered and marked as exhibits by the trial judge on the request of the state prosecutor.

Hearing continues on 16 March 2010.