Witness testifies in Kanilai Farm Garage case

Joseph Miro the General Manager of Scorpion Company on 21 April 2010 testified before Magistrate Drammeh of the Kanifing Magistrates' Court against Ensa Badjie, who was charged with stealing a car and four engines. Mr. Badjie has vehemently denied the charges.

In his testimony, Miro, a prosecution witness, told the court that he knows the accused person as a dealer in scrap metals. He said that the accused visits him whenever he passes by his workshop.

Mr. Miro said that the accused told him that he had some scrap metals to sell at his garage. He further said that he agreed to meet the accused at the garage to discuss the price. He said he was sold the scrap metal for D2500 per ton. He said they agreed on the price, and then loaded the scrap metal into a truck to Denton Bridge, where it was weighed. He narrated that the scrap metals weighed two tons, costing D5000, which he added, was accordingly paid. He informed the court that the accused was working with one Joseph.

According to Miro, he exported the scrap metals, and that when he was taken to the NIA for interrogation, he confirmed buying some scrap metals from the accused person.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel Mboge, the witness told the court that he did not know Joseph as the General Manager of Kanilai Farms Garage.

"Do you know that Joseph is the accused person's boss, and the accused was working under his instructions?" Lawyer Mboge asked the witness.

"I do not know," the witness said.

"Do you know that it was Joseph who gave the accused instructions for the sale of the scrap metals and the engines?" the defence counsel asked.

"I don't know," the witness answered.

On whether he knows one Ali, who replaced Joseph, he again answered in the negative, and further told the court that he does not know that the accused should succeed Ali as the General Manager.

Still under cross-examination, he told the court that Joseph was not present when he was interrogated. He informed the court that the accused was in charge of the Kanilai Farms Garage, as he was appointed the General Manager.

"The scrap engines were not useful when I bought them," the witness told the court. He further stated that his boss "had authorised him to buy some scrap metals, and could not be blamed for it."

He finally told the court that he had no doubt in his mind that the accused was authorised to sell the scrap metals by his former boss. The case was adjourned to 6 May 2010 for continuation.