By Mama A. Touray
Kajally Sambou, a resident of Brufut and a police officer at Manjai Kunda, on Tuesday testified in the alleged robbery case involving Fernando Jatta and Famile Gomez at the Kanifing High Court presided over by Justice Isatou Janneh.
The two accused persons are charged with two counts of offense, conspiracy to commit a felony, and robbery.
The PW2, Police officer Kajally Sambou, testified that it was March 2022 in Manjai Kunda when one Hajie Sillah who is now late reported a robbery case while bleeding. He said that the boys attacked him with a knife, and as a result, they took his money worth fifteen thousand (D15, 000) and that during the struggle he was able to catch one of them at the scene who happened to be Fernando Jatta.
PW2 said the victim, Hajie Sillah, was escorted to the hospital he was treated and discharged, his statements were obtained and the suspects too were cautioned, the file was compiled and sent to the CID’s office with one Knife, a black bag, and an orange T-shirt.
He continued: “The suspect was verbally interrogated as to the said matter which he denied initially; later on he confessed to us that he stabbed him with a knife, he also said he was there with two other boys and he named Famile Gomez, Modou Sarr, and one Mballow. Fernando was re-cautioned, charged, and put in a cell for further investigation, Famile was arrested and both were cautioned in position to the matter and denied the allegations and were put in the cell.”
The knife, black bag, and orange shirt were presented to the witness and he confirmed them, then state counsel apply to tender the knife, black bag, and orange shirt with a blood stain in evidence as exhibit which was not objected to by the counsel for the accused. The objects were admitted as exhibits p1, p2, and p3 respectively.
Counsel Tamsir B. Jallow for the accused persons, in his cross-examination, was told by the witness that he has not visited the crime scene and was not the first person to come in contact with the accused and was not the first to obtain his statement.
Counsel Jallow said in the interest of justice, the state served them the list of additional witnesses today in court, and they sought an adjournment to advise themselves.
The matter was however adjourned to the 23rd at 11 pm, and the 27th and 29th at noon, for a continuation of the hearing.
According to the particulars of their offense, Fernando Jatta and Famile Gomez on or about the 1st day of March 2022 at Tippa garage in the Kanifing Municipality, allegedly with common purpose agreed to commit a felony to wit robbing Hajie Sillah with a knife and jointly robbed one Hajie Sillah of a bag containing D15, 000 (fifteen Thousand Dalasi) and in the process of retaining the said stolen fifteen thousand dalasi, they allegedly stabbed the said Hajie Sillah with a knife on his head.
