One
Dauda Ndure, the first prosecution witness, yesterday told the court that
Ebrima Solo Sandeng corpse was removed and buried by Saihou Omar Jeng, Tamba
Mansary, Babucarr Sallah and some boys from the Special Operation Unit at the
National Intelligence Agency (NIA) annex camp in the coastal village of Tanji.
Dauda
Ndure made this revelation while giving evidence as the 1st prosecution witness
in the ongoing criminal trial involving the state against the former NIA
officials 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 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.
Dauda
Ndure, who is an official at the Counter Intelligence Service Unit at the NIA
bureau in Banjul, said he knew all the accused persons as he had worked with
them at the agency.
He
recalled that on 14 April 2016, while at work, he was instructed to obtain the
background information from some individuals.
The
witness revealed that after sometime, Solo Sandeng was led into his office and
he was asked to obtain his background information as well.
Dauda
further revealed that as Solo Sandeng wanted to sit on the chair, he (Solo) was
reprimanded by the 3rd accused, Saihou Omar Jeng, to sit on the floor while his
background information was being obtained.
He
said during his discussion with Solo Sandeng, he (Solo) told him that their
protest was not to insult the government but to go and drop a letter at the
Independent Electoral Commission office.
Dauda
also said after completing his assignment with Solo Sandeng, Tamba Mansary came
with some boys from the Special Operation Unit and took him away.
The
witness told the court that Nogoi Njie was then led into his office by James
Mendy and he started asking her questions in order to obtain her background
information.
He
further told the court that after he was done with Nogoi Njie, Tamba Mansary
came with his boys from the Special Operation Unit and took her away.
The
witness averred that after their departure, he prepared the final report and
while he was in his office having sat for a very long time, he decided to take
a walk around the vicinity of the premises.
The
witness revealed that during that walk, he went around the back gate and passed
through the security room and as he was walking through the security room, he
saw Solo Sandeng lying on a mattress covered with bloodstained bed sheet.
“I
stood for some time and looked at him and I was emotional and then I left. This was around 3am and there was light in
the office,” Dauda said.
“I
wonder how this has happened to Solo Sandeng when I just spoke with him some
time ago.”
The
witness told the court that he returned to his office and after waiting for a
very long time, he went to look for Saihou Omar Jeng who informed him that a
vehicle was coming to pick him.
He
pointed out that while waiting, a vehicle came in and on board was the 9th
accused person, Lamin Sanyang.
He
further pointed out that Saihou Omar Jeng selected some boys to go and get
spade at the newly-constructed building at the NIA premises which they did and
they left for the NIA annex at Tanji.
He
explained that upon arrival at the camp, the boys went to dig a grave around
the banana plantation.
The
witness said they drove to the NIA camp in three pick-up vans and one of them
carried Solo Sandeng’s corpse and that light was on that he could see Solo
Sandeng’s body in the pick-up van.
He
narrated that when Solo Sandeng’s body was removed from the pick-up van, he was
still lying on the mattress covered with bloodstained bed sheet.
Dauda
said Solo Sandeng’s body was removed and buried by Saihou Omar Jeng, Tamba
Mansary, Babucarr Sallah and some of the boys from the Special Operation Unit.
“While
all these were happening, I was standing watching and after the burial, the
driver was asked to take me home.”
The
witness concluded his evidence-in-chief.
Under
cross-examination, the legal counsel for the 1st and 2nd accused persons, C.E.
Mene and E. Gomez, informed the court that they have no questions for the
witness.
Responding
to questions by defence counsel, lawyer Moses Richards, Dauda said the UDP
suspects were brought into the NIA office, specifically into his office in the
evening.
The
witness also said that all the suspects were standing when they came into his
office and that the Special Operation Unit is in charge of operation matters.
The
witness told the court that when he found Solo Sandeng’s body covered with the
bloodstained bed sheet, he did not do anything but to look as he could not
report his finding to anyone.
The
witness admitted that it was true that he experienced everything that
transpired at Tanji and that it was also true that during the course of the
investigation he was cautioned to make statement concerning this matter but not
charged.
The
witness revealed that he started working with the NIA in 2003 and had worked in
different units at the agency since then.
When
asked whether it was true that some men who do not necessarily belong to the
NIA come to the NIA and do what they like and the NIA would clean up the mess
thereafter.
He
replied that such things never happened in his presence.
Lawyer
Moses Richards put it to the witness that in 2010, when he was detained at the
NIA, strange men came and demanded for him, he was tortured by them and they
left.
The
witness said he was never aware of Richards’ ordeal.
Hearing
continues today at midday.
