Testifying in court, Pa Modou Cham narrated that he knew the accused (Awa Jammeh) through one Fatou Sanyang, who is an aunty of the accused.
The first Prosecution Witness (PW1) recalled that Fatou Sanyang asked him to hire the complainant (Awa Jammeh) for sweeping and mopping as she had a child out of wedlock and the father of the child is not taking care of her nor the child.
Cham revealed that he had a mutual agreement with the complainant that he will be paying her one thousand five-hundred dalasis monthly for the said house chores.
"When she starts the work, I paid her two thousand dalasis and in the subsequent month, rumours went round that probably ‘we are in a relationship’ (ie boyfriend and girlfriend). I wasn't pleased with what I heard, so I told her to quit the job and I gave her two thousand five-hundred dalasis. After sometime, she started requesting for financial help that she wants to go to the hospital for checkup."
He recalled that the complainant after sometime visited him in his house and started to vomit, but he clearly told her that "if she gets pregnant for the second time then she will suffer a lot in caring for herself and her children", considering how she struggles to take care of herself and her first child.
Cham told the court that after some days, the complainant (Awa) came to his house requesting for hundred dalasi so she could test to establish ‘if she was pregnant and that suppose it turns out to be true then, she could do abortion.’
"Again, I told her that abortion is bad and is equivalent to murdering someone and most importantly she should go to the person who impregnated her. I then chase her out of my house."
Continuing his testimony, Cham recalled that after couple of months the complainant again came to his house and confirmed to him that she is pregnant and that he (Pa Modou Cham) is responsible for her pregnancy.
"But I told her that we don’t have such a relationship (boyfriend and girlfriend) and after a verbal argument with her she got upset and poured hot water on me. I sustained injury almost all over my body."
Inspector Badjie, appeared for the Inspector General of Police. Hearing continues on 5th November, 2024 for the continuation of the first Prosecution Witness.
