Defence continues testimony in Yakumba Jaiteh’s trial

He stated that he knew only the principal officers, namely Fadera and Jarju, whom he said testified before the court. He further noted that one of the officers whom he could not remember also testified. He told the court that the officers drove off after they put Tijan in the vehicle.  

He narrated that the officers used pepper spray on them. “While they were beating Tijan some boys came from different directions and separated them. Yakumba was behind me, holding her child. I arrived and asked what was happening. Those who were beating Tijan did not answer neither did Tijan until the boys separated them,” he testified.  

 He adduced that the officers did not tell him why they were holding Tijan. He denied that the officers found some substance on Tijan. He also denied that Tijan resisted arrest because they overpowered him. “While Tijan was in handcuff, he was being beaten. The boys had separated Tijan from the officers when Yakumba arrived,” he revealed.

He explained that Yakumba asked what happened and one of the boys said they were officers. He disclosed that none of the officers said they found some substance on Tijan. “Yankumba told them that she is a Member of the National Assembly and said they could talk but they sprayed everybody,” he stated.     

He denied that some substance dropped from Tijan and said that there were over 50 people at the scene. He posited that the drug squad goes around his home virtually every week. He denied that Yakumba held the throat of one of the officers. “Yakumba was all the time holding her baby who is one year old. I am 67 years old. The officers are in their early twenties. I am not strong enough to jump on them,” he told the court.

He said that the officers were still beating Tijan while he was in the vehicle. He denied that Tijan smokes marijuana. He stated that the public disagreed with what the officers were doing because they were pushing Tijan into the vehicle. He noted that the officers told them that they wanted to search Tijan but he refused.

“They took Tijan to the Serrekunda Police Station (Drug Squad). We did not stop the officers from putting Tijan into the vehicle. Yakumba and I followed Tijan at the Serrekund Police Station and we found him there. The officers did not tell us why they detained him,” he explained.  

It could be recalled that he earlier testified that he is currently the Imam Ratib of Dippa Kunda. He noted that he was an accountant and currently lives at Dippa Kunda. He posited that he lived at Kololi before living at Dippa Kunda. He told the court that on the 6th October, 2020, he was sitting in the main compound in front of the building at home. 

He revealed that earlier he had dinner with the family.   He said that Yakumba Jaiteh and his wife were in the main yard.  He noted that Tijan Maucaley tried to go to his lodge. “While we were chatting, I heard some noise coming from the main gate. Upon listening carefully, I heard Tijan shouting that they were hurting him. I rushed to see what was happening,” he testified.

He further narrated that while he was in front, Yakumba was behind. He added that on arrival at the gate, he found Tijan was accosted to the compound wall by two or three people and he asked what happened. “Nobody answered because they were busy beating Tijan. I did not realize what was happening until I saw Tijan in handcuffs. When we were able to separate them, they said they were officers when Yakumba arrived,” he posited.

He noted that as more people came to the place, there was a commotion. He added that his entire family was there including onlookers. He revealed further that more officers came from other junctions. He went on to say that they was pulling and pushing. He said he talked to them to see what they could do about the matter. 

He stated that Yakumba identified herself as a National Assembly Member. He noted that the officers were all the time insisting to arrest Tijan. He added that one of the officers produced some spray and sprayed the entire place to the extent that one of his family members fainted and she had to be taken to the hospital. 

“The officers did not answer when I asked them whether they found anything on Tijan. Bai Saidy confirmed that nothing was found on Tijan. Bai Saidy lives around and he is a professional carpenter, and there were a lot of people,” he told the court. 

He stated that all the children of the house were present and that the officers sprayed everyone and the crowd dispersed. “I would have been blind if I had not worn my classes. The officers sprayed twice. It was not true that nobody sprayed,” he said.

He testified that the other officers went straight to Tijan and treated him badly when they arrived. He posited that they lifted Tijan up and threw him into a pick-up, his head landing first.

He will continue his testimony on the 24th November, 2021.

ASP Jahateh represented the IGP, while Yankuba Darboe announced his representation for the accused persons.