Two Testify Against Child Maltreatment

The first witness in the child maltreatment case, Abdoulie Dibba on 6th October 2009 testified before Principal Magistrate Ikpala of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court against one Moris Sanyang, who is charged with maltreating a three- year-old girl, a charge she denied.

In his testimony, Mr. Dibba told the court that he is a First Class police officer who works at Kotu Police Station as Child Welfare Officer. He stated that on 13th September 2009, he received a call from Yamoundow Jagne, Officer Commanding Child Welfare at the Gambia Police Force, who asked him to go to the Kanifing Police Station, as there was a case at Old Jeshwang.

He narrated that on his arrival, he met the Crime Management Co-ordinator (CMC), Yankuba Sonko, who told him that there was a child with a broken leg apparently caused by her aunt. He stated that he interviewed the aunt of the child to ascertain the actual cause of the injury. He adduced that she replied that the child sustained the injury while playing.

He testified that he eventually took the child to Serrekunda Health Centre where they were referred to the RVTH.

The next witness to testify was one Lamin Camara who said he is a Community Service Officer with the Kanifing Municipal Council. He adduced that he was on disaster assessment tour with the Red Cross and Concern Universal, moving from one house to the other. He stated that when they arrived at the house of the accused person, they entered and found her with another lady.

He testified further that they asked them as to what their needs were and how they were affected by the flood. He went on to say that they then proceeded to another room where they found a young girl on a corrugated iron sheet, covered with an empty bag of rice.

He narrated that the girl was crying and her legs were tied with a rag and that was when they called the Head of the Disaster Committee, Musa Mendy, who informed the security agents.

Subsequently, the accused was arrested and taken to the Kanifing Police Station.