The proceeding was before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the Banjul High Court. It was a daylong proceeding of a single case which began with testimony from a neighbour of the deceased in Brusubi. She described the victim as a kind and gentle person, narrating that she learned of her death on a Friday afternoon.
Notably, she testified that on the preceding Wednesday, an unidentified tall man had visited the deceased's residence and knocked on the door, leaving when there was no answer.
The neighbour further stated that the accused was the only individual she witnessed entering the deceased's home on February 12, 2023. She explained that she was alerted to the death via a phone call and she subsequently informed her husband, who then contacted the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
During questioning by CID officers, she identified the accused as the person she had seen entering the deceased’s property, noting his “uncomfortable and nervous” demeanour. She also confirmed that she had never known the deceased to travel outside the country.
Under cross-examination, defence lawyer F.T. Sonko asked whether she was related to the deceased. She acknowledged her relationship with the deceased as a neighbour. She confirmed seeing the accused and the deceased together in the week leading up to her death but denied witnessing the actual killing.
She explained that she did not stop the accused from entering the house because she was afraid. Instead she waited for her husband to report the incident. She also testified that the deceased rarely allowed visitors into her home.
Nichole Pammer, a friend of the deceased, a nurse from the USA, testified that she met the deceased during a visit to The Gambia in 2022.
She described the deceased as a kind and generous person and mentioned their shared WhatsApp group. Pammer stated that she last spoke to the deceased on February 12, 2023, attempting to wish her a belated birthday.
After failing to reach the deceased the following day, the witness said she and other friends contacted the police, who initially reported waiting for mobile phone printouts. Frustrated by the lack of progress, Pammer and a friend went to the deceased’s compound, where they discovered the locked gate. Using a ladder to gain entry, they searched the property and found a watermark around the top of a septic tank. Upon closer inspection, they discovered a body inside and alerted the police.
PW10 Velma, another friend of the deceased, corroborated Pammer’s account. She testified that she had known the deceased since 2022 and described her as a supportive and friendly individual. Velma recounted the events of February 14, 2023, when she and other friends grew concerned after failing to reach the deceased.
She confirmed their search of the compound and the discovery of the body in the septic tank. Under cross-examination by F.T. Sonko, she also confirmed she did not witness the murder.
The prosecution witness, Dr Ousman Leigh, a pathologist at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, testified on the post-mortem examination he conducted on the deceased. He confirmed the autopsy report, which was admitted into evidence without objection from the defence.
Dr Leigh detailed the condition of the body, noting decomposition and wounds, including a head wound and externalized tongue. He explained that there was bleeding on the neck, which could have been caused by blunt force trauma. He provided detailed medical explanations for the cause of death.
The prosecution's final witness, Deputy Commissioner of Crime Amadou Kujabi, testified that he recognised the accused and interacted with him following his arrest in connection with the British woman’s murder case.
Deputy Commissioner Kujabi told the court that after the accused confessed, he instructed officers to search the accused's residence, where items belonging to the deceased were recovered. He further detailed the process of reconstructing the crime scene, which was undertaken after investigators gathered pertinent information.
A flash drive containing a video of the crime scene reconstruction was admitted into the court by the prosecution through Deputy Commissioner Kujabi. The defence objected, but the presiding judge admitted the video into evidence.
The video was then played in the courtroom, showing the accused demonstrating the events. The accused was seen and heard explaining the process while visibly emotional, with tears streaming down his face. The video captured a detailed explanation and key moments related to the alleged crime.
Deputy Commissioner Kujabi's testimony and the video evidence marked the conclusion of the prosecution's case.
