Kutaur Imam Murder Trial Continues

The trial of six accused persons for the alleged murder of the former imam of Kuntaur proceeded last Friday at the Special Criminal Court of the high court in Banjul presided over by Justice Moses Richards.

Adducing evidence before the court, Inspector Lamin Cham, the ninth prosecution witness (PW9), who is a police officer attached to the Bansang police station, informed the court that he could recall what happened on the 16th of June 2010.

According to PW9, on that particular date, while at the station, a man called Papa Yusupha Njie reported to the station that one Amadou Jallow, the imam of Kuntuar Town was found stabbed to death.

Inspector Cham said he was based at Kuntaur police station between 2005 and 2009. 

He said that upon receiving the information, he informed other police officers namely, Mamadi Bojang and Lamin Ceesay, and I further contacted my commanding officer, and recorded the report in the station diary, before visiting the scene of the crime.

Inspector Cham further revealed that, when they arrived at the scene, they met with Dorro Jallow, the younger brother of the deceased, who took them to the house of the deceased imam.

While in the house, he told the court, "I found the deceased lying on his back, and a photographer was called to take pictures of the deceased," Inspector Cham further informed the court.

"I observed stab wounds on the late imam's chest, but the singlet the deceased wore did not have any holes."

He further disclosed, "I observed that the telephone set in the parlour, that was in a cupboard, the hand set was hanging.

"I found a kitchen knife at the backyard of the compound of the decease person. I took it to the station, and I invited fingerprint officers," the witness further informed the court.

According to PW9, the fingerprint officers said that it would be difficult to identify anything since there was a torrential rainfall on the night the alleged crime happened.

Inspector Cham further said that he recorded the cautionary statement of one of the accused persons, Amadou Gaye, in the presence of an independent witness.

The matter was adjourned to the 10th and 11th of May 2010, for continuation of the hearing.