Witness testifies in PIA case
By The case involving 23 accused persons from the President International Award Scheme continued recently at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Ngube.
Testifying, Inspector Abdoulie Sowe, attached to Kairaba Police Station CID, told the court that on 10 May 2012, he received an instruction from his officer commanding, Superintendent Sito Sanyang, that he had to lead a panel that was to investigate a matter about people who were demonstrating going to Denton Bridge from the award scheme.
He said upon that instruction, he and his panel members went to the scene and went back to the office and found one Mr Bah who was said to be the head of the school and was escorted by some officers for security as the demonstrators said they did not want him.
They asked Mr Bah what happened and he said he was brought there because the students and staff were demonstrating that they did not want him there, he said.
Inspector Sowe further adduced that the demonstrators were asked what happened and they said they were demonstrating because they did not want Mr Bah.
They were asked if they obtained a permit but they said they did not because they were suppressed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports to demonstrate.
He said they told them to write a letter to the ministry, which the police received from them.
The said letter was tendered by the prosecutor and got admitted.
During the investigations, he added, they went back to the school, where they recovered a cardboard on which was written ‘No more Mr Bah’.
When they were confronted with the cardboard, they said one of the students wrote on the cardboard to show their dislike of Mr Bah, he added.
The witness was also shown the said cardboard, which he identified.
The prosecutor applied to tender the said cardboard, while the accused persons said they knew nothing about it.
The court rejected the said cardboard.
All the accused persons were cautioned, charged and granted police bail, he added.
He said he and his panel members wrote a report, which they signed and sent to the authority.
He identified the said report, which was tendered by the prosecutor and admitted by the court.
The case continues on 19 July 2012.
