The accused, who is standing trial, faces multiple charges including murder and attempted murder arising from the incident.
During yesterday’s hearing, M. Mballow announced his appearance for the State, while senior counsel L.S. Camara appeared for the accused.
In his testimony, Colley told the court that he knew both the deceased, Buba Jammeh, and recognised the accused. He explained that Jammeh had engaged his services to clear land in Gunjur Berending after informing him that he owned a plot there.
According to the witness, after agreeing with Jammeh, he moved a bulldozer to the site and the land-clearing began the following day. While the work was ongoing, about ten men from Berending approached, some armed with cutlasses, and one carrying a firearm.
Colley identified the accused as the man with the gun, who first fired a shot into the air before later shooting at the bulldozer. He said he intervened and held the barrel of the gun as he struggled with the accused. During the struggle, another individual approached him from behind with a knife, forcing him to disengage.
He further testified that moments later, the accused approached Jammeh from behind at and close range shot him. Jammeh fell to the ground, after which others from Berending began beating him.
“All of us scattered into the bushes,” Colley said, adding that he hid for about thirty minutes before later encountering people he suspected to be security personnel.
Upon approaching them, Colley said he explained that he owned the bulldozer and had witnessed everything that transpired. His personal details were taken. He noted that when officers later returned to the scene, the accused and others involved had fled.
When questioned by State Counsel Mballow about what he observed of the deceased after the shooting, Colley testified that Jammeh’s intestines were protruding. He confirmed that Jammeh was taken to hospital but said he did not accompany him there. When asked about Jammeh’s whereabouts, he confirmed that Jammeh had died.
Second prosecution witness
In the same trial, but in separate testimony, another prosecution witness, Seedia Touray, a teacher from Gunjur, described a related incident on 16 March 2019 involving the same disputed land.
Touray said he accompanied Ebrima Darboe, also known as Faburama, to his plot after reports that people were clearing it without permission. On arrival, they found several individuals clearing the land, including Mamadi Ceesay and Wuyeh, whom Touray said were from Berending.
He testified that Darboe’s attempts to question them were ignored, leading to an argument. Two men were sent to the Gunjur Police Station, but police reportedly declined to intervene.
Touray said the situation escalated when the accused arrived running, armed with a gun and with juju tied around his body. He identified the accused in court.
According to Touray, the accused disarmed him of a cutlass, struck him in the face, and another man wounded him on the thigh with a cutlass.
He further testified that the accused later aimed and fired his gun at Darboe, wounding him in the left leg. Darboe was then attacked and beaten severely by a group using tools, leading Touray to believe he had died.
As Touray fled towards Gunjur to report the incident, he said the accused fired shots at him, but he escaped.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel L.S. Camara, Touray admitted that the land in question had been under dispute for a long time and had previously been reported to both the police and the courts. Counsel put it to him that he knowingly went to land under dispute, which he admitted. Counsel further suggested that the accused was not armed on the day in question and did not shoot anyone, which Touray denied.
The matter was adjourned until 11 February 2026.
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