The murder case involving officers of the National Drug Enforcement Agent (NDEA), Idrissa Jarju and Idrissa Jaiteh, resumed yesterday at the Special Criminal Court in Banjul before Justice Emmanuel NKea.
The case resumed with the testimony of the sixth prosecution witness, Buba E. Sanyang, a police officer attached to Brikama Police Station.
Officer Sanyang told the court that he lives in Brikama, knows the 2nd accused person, Idrissa Jaiteh, and he could remember what happened on 12 December 2011.
He said there was an alleged murder case which happened in Manjai Kunda Police Station, and he was among the officers who were assigned to investigate the murder case.
PW6 added that after the investigation, he was assigned to obtain a cautionary statement from the 2nd accused person, Idrissa Jaiteh.
He said before he obtained the cautionary statement from Jaiteh, he invited an independent witness by the name Lamin Jumo.
“I then read the cautionary statement wording to the 2nd accused person in English and translated it in the Mandinka language; he thumb-printed and the independent witness signed it.
Jaiteh narrated the story, which he (the witness) recorded and later translated to him.
When asked by the Director of Public Prosecutions, S.H. Barkun, whether he could recognize the said statement if shown to him, the witness replied in the positive.
The cautionary statement of the 2nd accused person, Idrissa Jaiteh, was later tendered and marked as an exhibit without any objection from the defence counsel.
Under cross-examination by the defence counsel, Mbugi, the witness told the court that he knew the 2nd accused person prior to the case, as the 2nd accused mostly came to their office and brewed green tea with the junior officers.
He added that the deceased person’s brother told him that he informed the 1st accused, Idrissa Jarju, not to force the deceased because he was sick.
The witness also told the court that the 2nd accused person did not admit the charge of murder.
The case continues on 6 November 2012.
