Kawsu
Jaiteh, who was charged with assault causing actual bodily harm at the
Serrekunda Market, on 22 December 2015 opened his defence before Magistrate
Isatou Janneh of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.
In his testimony, he told the court he is a businessman at the Serrekunda Market.
He said he collected the key to the toilet at the market, from Muhammed Faal and warned him not to give it to anyone who was not doing business at the market.
When he came out of the toilet, Muhammed Faal told him to give him the key.
The complainant was just arriving when he came out of the toilet, and demanded the key from him.
He told the complainant that he was warned not to give the key to anyone, but the complainant insisted that he must give him the key.
He told the complainant that he would not give him the key, because one could not lock the padlock in the absence of the key.
When he wanted to go, the complainant pushed him as he was about to put the key into his pocket, and also slapped him.
He too pushed and hit the complainant on his eye, then the complainant held his shirt and pull out all his buttons.
When the complainant held him, he also got hold of him and later people separated them.
They asked them what happened, and he explained.
He further told the court those who separated them told them the incident was now finished, since they both hit each other.
The complainant then said he was going to the police, then changed his mind and went away.
Then when he was performing ablution, two men came and one of them hit him on his back and the kettle he was using fell down. They said he was the one who injured their father.
One of the men held his neck, and said they should go to the police. On their way to the police, they came across one Sonko who told the man who was holding him to leave his neck. Then Sonko hit the man’s hand off him, because he refused to leave his neck.
The man then left his neck, and Sonko asked them to go to the police station, where they narrated what happened.
The police officer told him that it was possible that the complainant had hit him, but the injury caused by him (the witness) was serious.
They were advised by the police to settle the matter amicably, but the complainant refused and said the matter must proceed to the court.
The case continues.
Cadet Inspector Bah represented the IGP.
