This, he acknowledged during the continuation of cross-examination yesterday after defence counsel L.S. Camara put it to him that he had been in the Gambian army for 16 years and not 20 as he had told the court in his evidence.
Resuming yesterday, Counsel Camara borrowed exhibit 12 from the court, and asked the witness whether he wrote a detailed statement to the investigators in connection with the alleged coup, which the witness acknowledged he did, saying he wrote the statement himself.
The witness added that he could remember what he wrote in the statement but might forget some.
“But do you remember whether you have written everything that you told this court in your evidence in chief,” Counsel Camara asked. The witness answered, “It can be possible I skipped some.”
The witness also alluded that he could recognise the statement, and he was thus handed a document for identification as his statement or not. And he affirmed the statement as his.
Defence Counsel L.S. Camara was granted his application to tender the said statement into evidence, and there was no objection from prosecution. The statement was marked and admitted into evidence as exhibit D.E.6.
The counsel further asked the witness to remind the court how long he had been in the military. The witness answered that it was 20 years – from 2002 to date.
“Sergeant Jatta, I am putting it to you that you have been in the military only 16 years. Is it correct that you were not in the military in 2013 to 2017?”
The witness acknowledged that the counsel was correct. Reacting to follow-up questions posed by the counsel. The witness added that between 2013 and 2017 he was at home and was driving a commercial van.
“Sergeant, I am putting it to you that between 2013 and 2017, you were working for the NIA,” Counsel put it to the witness. “Yes, I was also working for the NIA,” the army sergeant answered.
The counsel proceeded, saying: “Now, I am going to quote verbatim some of the proceedings. Now, let's look at exhibit D.E.6). You were asked by the prosecutor why were you using the ‘they’ and not ‘we’.
“You said you knew you were not going to be part of this. He asked you why, and you said because you knew that was illegal. What steps did you take to stop it? You said you reported to the higher authorities on the 12th of December. Did you start reporting to the authorities on the 12th of December?”
The witness stated that he did not.
