They are: Lance Corporal Sanna Fadera, Sergeant Gibril Darboe, Corporal Ebrima Sannoh and Corporal Omar Njie and Sub-inspector Fabakary Jawara.
The Gambian police superintendent and investigator attached to the Serious Crimes Unit at the Police Headquarters in Banjul started his testimony about three weeks ago as a state witness, appearing for the third time yesterday to testify before the court.
Testifying yesterday, he told the court that the phones of the accused persons were brought before the investigation panel, positing that they were up to about 10 phones.
Mr. Senghore told the court further that the phones were forwarded to various GSM operators to ascertain their communication before, during and after December 2022. “However, based on the numbers of the first accused, he was alleged to be their ring leader,” he told the court.
Two Africell numbers were said to have belonged to the 1st accused, according to the witness’s explanation.
“The numbers were screened as per their locations, mode of communication and call duration…I later confronted him (first accused person Sanna Fadera) as to what they were saying. He accepted that he did communicate prior, during and after but what their communication was based on I wouldn't know,” Mr. Senghore expounded.
Senghore added that the telephone printouts for the other accused persons (2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th) were also obtained
“How did you know [that] the 2nd accused communicated with the 1st accused,” State Counsel A.M. Yusuf asked.
“Through the phone records,” the witness said, elaborating that it was the same way he knew of the 1st accused person’s communication with 3rd, 4th and 5th accused persons.
The document was shown to the witness, who identified them as the number and telephone records of the 1st accused person.
The said document was admitted into evidence without objection.
“Apart from the two numbers you named belonging to the 1st accused, do you have any other number belonging to him,” A.M. Yusuf quizzed again.
“During the printout, I came across a number that was constantly communicating with the 1st accused. But that number belongs to one Karamo Jatta."
However, it is the testimony of the witness that he could not remember the number offhand, but he added that he could identify it if he sees it and has also written it somewhere else during the course of the investigation.
The police superintendent further told the court that he recognises and could also identify the printout of the 2nd accused person. Apart from the printout of the 2nd accused person, he said, he also made an analysis he (the witness) prepared.
The number of the second accused person was read before the crowded court.
Still under oath, Mr Senghore continued his testimony, telling the court that he could also identify the numbers of 3rd, 4th and 5th accused persons. The said numbers were also eventually read out to the court.
These documents used to refresh witness's memory were marked and retained by the court for cross-examination by the defence, since they were not tendered into evidence by the state.
“So they are not exhibits but are retained by the court for cross-examination,” the presiding judge, Justice Basisou V.P. Mahoney said before the hearing was halted for continuation today.
Hearing resumes at 2 pm.
