By Mama A. Touray
Justice Isatou Janneh of the Kanifing High Court on Monday at the Kanifing High Court admitted the statement of a prosecution witness, Mrs. Cham as an exhibit in an alleged rape trial involving Yankuba Kujabi.
Prosecution witness Cham in her testimony said she was called by her in-law on one Saturday that she saw a man dropping a little girl over the window and she rushed to see what was happening, she said when she knocked on the door the accused (Yankuba Kujabi) came and opened the door and she saw the little girl standing.
“I told (asked) the man (Yankuba Kujabi) why are you closing the door and window with this little girl inside, he told me that the girl came to visit somebody, then I asked him – you and her in the same room while both the door and window closed but he did not respond to me then I took the girl away to my room…….
The witness continued, “The girl told me that this man usually takes her and harasses her then I started to cry, I went outside and saw a man there he told me that they are all family members and that the issue is settled at home. I replied to him that it is better to take this matter to the police as it will be better settled there than at home. Then two days after, the police called me to come and give my statement and I narrated what happened as I narrated here.”
State counsel Marong applied to tender the statement as evidence and Justice Janneh admitted the statement as evidence and labeled it as exhibit three.
The lawyer for the accused person from the National Agency for Legal Aid, M Ceesay said she cannot cross-examine the witness now because he did not receive notice of the matter.
“I was called by my learned friend a few minutes ago that I have a case before the Kanifing High Court, I do not want to waste the time of the court that is why I came so that witness can give her statement.”
According to the statement of the accused offense, Yankuba Kujabi is allegedly charged with rape and the particulars of the offense stated that Yankuba Kujabi on or about the 10th day of July 2021, in the West Coast Region of the Gambia, allegedly intentionally and under coercive circumstances had carnal knowledge of an 8 years old girl.
Meanwhile, Justice I. Janneh adjourned the matter to the 22nd, 23rd, and 29th of March at noon for the continuation of the hearing.
