The sixth prosecuting witness, Ebou Sowe, disclosed in court that the first accused person, Ousainou Bojang, led them to discover a grey kaftan, white canvas shoes and an alleged murder pistol that was thrown on an empty land.
“When asked about the Kaftan and white canvas shoes, he stated that both were at his house,” PW6 said.
Mr Sowe further revealed that when the team of investigators got to the house of the accused at Brufut, they found the “grey kaftan” hung on a TV stand, adding that the accused confirmed that he was wearing it during the incident.
He further said that the forensic team took photos of the items recovered in the accused’s house and were taken away by the forensic teams for further analysis. However, he said before they returned to the Anti-Crime Unit, the suspect led them to investigate the said escape pattern he used, which corroborated with the earlier information of the eyewitnesses.
“He equally identified the empty land he allegedly threw the pistol while running,” he said, adding that an extensive search was done but no substantial information was found.
Upon their return around midnight at the Anti-Crime Unit, PW6 said he was instructed to take the cautionary statement of the accused, which was done around midnight, adding that he sat the accused down and told him he could choose not to say anything if he wished.
Mr Sowe further said he asked the accused which language he chose to speak and he said Wollof. He added that the accused told him he was literate and could read and write. “Then I told him he could write his statement if he wished but he chose for me to write”.
Subsequently, he said, the accused told him to give him time to make his statement the next day as he was tired. Sowe said those statements were recorded and he signed it.
On 14 September 2023, PW6 explained that further interrogation was conducted based on emphasis on the white canvas shoes that were discovered in the accused’s house, adding that those shoes were “so clean” that the investigators suspected it could not have been the exact shoes he wore.
These interrogations were completed and the accused confirmed to have worn combat boots and about 14:00hrs, the suspect voluntarily led investigators to Brufut at their family house where the combat boots were recovered under their veranda after he had identified and confirmed to the investigators the combat boots he was wearing.
As a result, the forensic team collected the boots as their material evidence. As investigation progressed, another cautionary statement was obtained from Ousainou on 14 September, the witness said.
Asked how the cautionary statement was obtained, the witness said the same procedure of obtaining the statement applied but this time it was done in the presence of an independent witness called Alieu Cham.
When the narration was done and the statement recorded, the witness said he translated the entire statement in Wolof language even though the accused confirmed he understood the English language. The independent witness also confirmed and then I endorsed it and I put my details as the recorder.
The case was adjourned until 9 January 2024.
