Muhammad
L.K. Bojang, Kombo North chief, testified on the 30th April, 2020, before
Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the High Court in Banjul in the murder case involving
Yankuba Touray. He told the court that
he lives at Sukuta and he has been the chief of Kombo North since 2017. He said
that he was also the Commander CID, Gambia Police Force.
He
testified that he knew Koro Ceesay, adding that the latter was former minister
of Finance. He noted that he recognised the accused, stating that he was a
senior army officer. He revealed that he used to see the accused at Tobacco
Road and that he (accused) was then minister of Local Government. He narrated
that Koro Ceesay is dead.
He
informed the court that he received a call from the police that Koro was
involved in a fatal car accident along Sukuta-Jamburr Highway. He noted that he
went with his driver and two other police officers to the scene of the accident.
He
added that on his arrival, he found that the body was moved to RVTH, stating
that then Ebrima Njie, Mechanical Superintendent at Bakau New Town, inspected
the vehicle at PWD. He told the court that Mechanical Superintendent of Police,
Ebou Njie, and Chief Fire Officer, Mr. Rex King, also inspected the vehicle.
“I
called my Scientific Support Photographer, the late Alieu Njie, and told him
that what my opinion gave me was different from what I heard because the
vehicle did not knock any object and it did not somersault. If the vehicle was
running at a high speed, there would be wheel marks,” he testified.
He
stated that he saw the registration number of the vehicle which was GG 1322 A
when he was coming from Jamburr, noting that the vehicle was used by Koro
Ceesay. He informed the court that on arrival at the CID headquarters, he
placed the number plate and waited for an order from F.R.I. Jammeh, the former
IGP.
He
said that the case was not investigated. “The case occurred in Western
Division. If they opened a file, they would send it to the IGP by the OC of
West Coast Region. I did not see any file which was opened in relation to
Koro’s death,” he stated.
Under
cross-examination by Counsel Sissoho, he was asked whether he knows Habibu
Mbaye and he answered in the positive. He said Habibu was his junior in the
service. He was also asked whether Habibu played any role in the investigation
but replied that there was no investigation. Asked whether there was any
coroner inquest, he said that there might have been. He was asked whether he
had ever attended a coroner inquest, and he answered in the negative.
“A
coroner inquest was set up and proceedings were conducted and findings of facts
were made,” Counsel Sissoho put it to him. He replied that it was not to his
knowledge. It was put to him that the police officers including the
photographer testified during the trial of the inquest. He said it was not to
his knowledge.
“I
put it to you that the judicial outcome of the death of Koro Ceesay was as a result
of an accident,” Counsel Sissoho challenged him.
“That
is not to my knowledge,” he replied.
At
this juncture, A.M. Yusuf, the state counsel, applied for the case to be
adjourned to the 12th May, 2020, to call the 8th witness but Counsel Sissoho
objected and said that the court should take multiple dates. A series of arguments followed between the state counsel
and Sissoho, who said that he did not know why the state counsel did not want
to take multiple dates. He then informed the court that he was withdrawing his
representation for Yankuba Touray.
The
presiding judge then asked him to file a notice of withdrawal.
