Lawyer Darboe Takes On Prosecution Witness

Following the testimony of Superintendent Commanding Officer, Sabu Ceesay, before Principal Magistrate Joseph Ikpala of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court on 23rd November 2009, in the case involving Femi Peters, Lawyer Darboe, the Counsel for the accused took the witness to task by cross-examining him.

When the witness was asked under cross-examination who actually arrested the accused, he said he did not know.

On whether the accused was taken to any police station, he answered "I did not know".

Still answering questions from the Defence Counsel, he confirmed that the accused was sitting and not talking to anyone except when PW1 spoke to him.

When he was asked whether he saw the accused addressing any meeting, he replied in the negative.

On whether he saw a microphone in the hand of the accused, he said he did not know.

When put to him whether the UDP or the accused was holding the meeting, he said he did not know whether it was the UDP or the accused, who was holding the meeting.

Asked whether the accused or the party had applied for a permit, he replied "I don't know whether the party or the accused had applied for a permit."

When quizzed whether he knows that T-shirts are worn during political rallies by their supporters, he again replied "I don't know."

Asked whether he had attended APRC rallies and whether he did not see people putting on APRC T-shirts with the picture of the President, he answered in the positive.

"Are you aware that the High Court made a ruling that the UDP should not be denied a permit and that denying them a permit was discriminatory?" Lawyer Darboe challenged.

"I don't know whether there was such a ruling," he responded.

"Why did you not arrest the accused when you believed he had committed an offence?" Darboe asked.

"I did not because the accused told us that he would produce a permit after the meeting," the witness replied.

"After the meeting, did you ask him for the permit?" Lawyer Darboe enquired.

"I did not because I was with my seniors," he told the court.

When asked whether the people at the rally had caused any problem when they were packing the chairs, he replied in the negative.