Two police
officers on 14 July 2014 testified before Magistrate Tabally of the Kanifing
Magistrates’ Court in the case involving Awa Beyai, Awa Sanneh and Ndey Ceesay,
nurses at the Serrekunda Health Centre, who were charged with neglect of
official duty and abuse of office.
They denied any wrongdoing.
Muhammed Marr, the first police officer to testify, told the court he lives at Kanifing Estate and he is a police officer attached to Kanifing Police Station.
He stated that he knows the accused persons and could recall 17 November 2013 as well as recognise Awa Sanneh.
He adduced that when he was on duty he was instructed by his relief commander to obtain cautionary and voluntary statements from Awa Sanneh, adding that he read the wording to her in Wollof.
He testified that he called an independent witness, Modou Nyang of Kanifing Estate.
He said that after recording the statement, he read it to the accused who later thumb-printed, adding that the independent witness signed and he also signed.
He stated that he applied the same procedure when he recorded the voluntary statement.
At this juncture, he identified the said statements, which were tendered by Inspector Touray.
Lawyer Camara did not object to the tendering of the statements, which were admitted by the court.
Alkalo Sanyang, another police officer, told the court he lives at Wellingara, adding that he is a police officer with a rank of corporal, at the Kanifing Police Station.
He stated that he recognised the accused persons and could also recall 17 November 2013.
He adduced that he was assigned to obtain a cautionary statement from Awa Beyai, adding that he called an independent witness, Modou Nyang, before taking the statement.
He testified that he read the cautionary wording to the accused in the language she understood, adding that the accused thumb-printed and he signed, and the independent witness also signed.
He said the accused was speaking in Mandinka, adding that he read the statement to her in the language she understood, and that he applied the same procedure to obtain the voluntary statement.
He stated that he recorded one cautionary and two voluntary statements.
The said statements were tendered by the prosecutor and the defence did not raise any objection. They were admitted by the court.
Lawyer Camara stood up to say he had no questions for the witnesses.
The case was adjourned till 17, 23 and 24 July 2014.