Police prosecutor chief inspector Jammeh on 28 June, before Magistrate Tabbaly of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court, applied to withdraw the charge against the 5th and 19th accused persons in the unnatural offence case.
The lead counsel, L.S. Camara, rose and told the court that he welcomed the application made by the prosecution to withdraw the charge against the two accused persons, but said they should be acquitted so that they would not be brought back.
Counsel said the prosecution had led evidence against all the accused persons.
Magistrate Tabally granted the application made by the prosecutor and subsequently acquitted the two accused persons.
Chief Inspector Jammeh then called his witness to testify.
In his testimony, the witness Abdoulie Jallow said he is a police officer at Tallinding police station.
He said he lives at Banjulinding, and recognized the accused persons.
He stated that on 6 April 2012, while on patrol, they received a call from the operations commander, Landing Bojang, that there was a recreation activity.
They later went there and were briefed by him that there were men and women around Duplex, who were suspected of being homosexuals.
He added that the operations commander said they should go and check if they were homosexuals, so that they could arrest them.
On their way to the place, they saw men and women running, and they ran after them, arrested them and took them to Kotu police station.
He added that they were 18 in number who went to the scene to arrest the accused persons, and later took them to Kairaba police station, then proceeded on their night patrol.
He said in the morning he recorded his statement.
Under cross-examination, by Lawyer Camara, the witness said they were 18 and could not remember the names of his colleagues.
He said he was sent to see if the accused persons were practising homosexuality, and they did reach the place where the said homosexuality took place.
The hearing was adjourned to 12 and 16 July 2012, for continuation.
