Defence
Counsel Moses B. Johnson Richards recently cross-examined one Binta Chatty, a
prosecution witness, before Principal Magistrate Ibrahim Kijera of the Bundung
Magistrates’ Court.
Binta Chatty earlier gave her testimony as the first prosecution witness (PW1) in the trial involving the accused, Ida Mbye, who was charged with an attempted murder and assault, causing grievous bodily harm.
Under cross-examination, the witness told the court she had never assaulted the accused and was not aware of the verbal conversation between her son and the accused’s son.
She was not aware of any spill of the starch on the floor on the verandah, which led to the fall of her son on the floor, she said.
She denied attacking the accused in the kitchen, adding that all she knew was that the accused poured hot oil on her.
It was put to her by counsel that the alleged pouring of oil was out of fear by the accused who was cooking, and overheard the children saying, “Mum, she is coming with a knife”. Out of that fear and in her self-defence, counsel stated, she also used a scoop of oil and spilled it.
But the witness said that was not correct.
She was also asked by the defence counsel which of her evidence was correct and further questioned whether it was the evidence-in-chief or under cross-examination.
The witness said that all what she said was correct.
The case continues.
