Station officer cross-examined in concealment of treason case

ASP Sainey Ndure, station officer at Amdalie Police Station, was yesterday cross-examined in the case of concealment of treason involving Abdoulie Njie and Alieu Lowe at the Special Criminal Court before Justice Emmanuel NKea.

Officer Ndure testified that there was no independent witness present, when he was obtaining the cautionary statement of Abdoulie Njie, stating that he did not have any expert training in writing, but could recognize his hand writing.

He added that he was present when the accused persons were arrested, but he did not know who led the arresting team.

ASP Ndure further adduced that he did not know whether the arresting officers were led by the late Musa Jammeh, adding that he could not tell whether the 1st accused, Abdoulie Njie, refused to give a statement at the NIA on the first night he was taken there.

He said he was also not aware of the alleged torture by the late Musa Jammeh on the night of 29 March 2006.

Officer Ndure said he was not aware of the 1st accused being tortured, and he was in the NIA conference room on the night of 29 March 2006.

When it was put to him that he was not speaking the truth, because he was not present when the statement of the accused person was recorded, the witness replied that he was the very person who recorded the statement of the accused person, and he signed it.

He added that he did not record the time he recorded the statement in the diary of action.

When told that he only signed the statements in the morning, after the statements were recorded by the NIA, the witness insisted that he recorded the statements, and he had served in the police force for 27 years.

He said he did not know who preferred the charges against the 1st accused at the panel.

The case at that juncture was adjourned till 18 October 2012.