The
criminal trial involving the State against former officials of the defunct NIA
proceeded yesterday before Justice Kumba Sillah-Camara of the High Court in
Banjul.
The
accused persons are Yankuba Badjie, Louie Richards Gomez, Saihou Omar Jeng,
Babucarr Sallah, Yusupha Jammeh, Haruna Susso, Tamba Mansary, Lamin Darboe and
Lamin Lang Sanyang.
They
are charged with multiple offences including conspiracy to murder, murder,
assaults causing actual bodily harm, conspiracy to commit misdemeanor, forgery
and making false documents without authority.
The
2nd prosecution witness, Omar Bojang, a resident of New Yundum and currently
the director of State Intelligence Service (SIS), told the court he knew the
accused persons who were his colleagues at the defunct NIA as he was the director
of Technical Services.
He
recalled that sometime on 14 April 2016, being the director of technical
services, he was directly answerable to the 1st accused, Yankuba Badjie.
He
explained that he would not close until his boss had to close and go home, noting
that on the said date he went to check on the 1st accused to obtain permission
to go home.
He
further explained that on his way to the office of his boss, he found him
sitting opposite the office under a shade and not far from where the accused
sat, and did hear people crying.
The
witness informed the court that he enquired from the 1st accused who were the
people crying and the 1st accused replied that they were some of the UDP
suspects.
The
witness further informed the court that shortly afterwards, the 1st accused
called for the late Ebrima Solo Sandeng.
He
testified that as Ebrima Solo Sandeng was brought before the 1st accused,
Sandeng fell down and the 1st accused ordered that he should be taken to a room
where there was fan.
The
witness said he then asked the 1st accused what had happened to Solo Sandeng
and he immediately realised that the 1st accused’s mood had changed and was not
happy.
Responding
to questions during cross examination by the 1st accused person’s lead defence
counsel C. E. Mene, the witness confirmed that the 1st accused would always
close before he the witness would go home.
Mr
Bojang told the court that on the day of the alleged incident, the 1st accused
went home before 1:00am.
The
witness disclosed that it was true that before the 1st accused spoke to Solo
Sandeng, Solo slumped as he was brought to him.
He
noted that it was the 1st accused who instructed that Solo Sandeng be placed
under the fan probably because he must have fainted.
When
asked that placing Solo Sandeng under the fan was meant to revive him, the
witness replied that it was usual or customary that people could be placed
under the fan to revive them.
The
witness pointed out that he was neither a doctor nor a nurse to have knowledge
of First Aid but he was the director of technical services.
He
told the court that he was present when Solo Sandeng fell down and that Solo
Sandeng fell down before the 1st accused spoke to him.
Asked
whether he had any qualification in psychology, he replied in the negative.
The
witness told the court that he was not next to the 1st accused in terms of the
hierarchy in the office and that it was regimented at the NIA that they
followed seniority in terms of dealings.
He
confirmed that as the director of technical services, he was directly
answerable to the DG of the NIA concerning matters in his department.
Mr
Bojang said he had worked with the NIA for over 25 years and that
investigations and operations did not fall within the purview of his
department.
Hearing
continues today.
