The trial of
CPL Jerre Bai Bojang and detective Saikouba Joof testified before Magistrate Ceesay. The 47 accused persons were charged with arson, willful damage to property, going armed in public, among others.
Testifying earlier as the twenty-fourth (PW24) prosecution witness, CPL Jerre Bai Bojang, a police officer attached to Yundum Police Station, told the court that on 30th March 2008 he was called by his officer commanding to report to the station.
He said upon his arrival at the station, he was asked to join other officers to obtain the accused persons statements, which he did.
"I obtained statements from two accused persons, Saikouba Kolley and Yusupha Badjie. I obtained one cautionary and five voluntary statements from each of them," he added.
He said at the time of obtaining the statements, there was an independent witness, one Lamin Jammeh.
After taking the statements, he said: "I read it all over to them in the language they claim to have understood, and they thumbprinted the statements".
He identified the said statements in court, which were later admitted and tendered in court as exhibits without objection from the defence counsel, Mrs Gaye, who later cross-examined the witness.
Also testifying, the prosecution's twenty-fifth witness (PW25), detective Saikouba Joof told the court that on the day in question, he was on standby duty when he was called by his station officer to join the investigating team at the
"On my arrival at the training school, I met a lot of people. I was briefed and after asked to obtain statements from some of the accused persons," he added.
"I obtained voluntary and cautionary statements from three of the accused persons namely: Yaya Suwareh, now deceased, Abdou Jammeh and Alansan Jarjue respectively in the presence of two independent witnesses, Lamin Jarju and Pateh Baldeh," he told the court.
At that juncture, the case was adjourned for continuation.