By: Nicholas Bass
The First Infantry Battalion Officer, Omar S. Jallow Monday described the alleged paramilitary shooter, Ousainou Bojang as “an expert marksman.”
Testifying before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of Banjul High Court as the ninth defense witness, Jallow stated that the shock had made him not recognize the shooter at the crime scene.
It would be recalled that Ousainou Bojang was accused of shooting to death two police officers and injuring the third, on 12th September 2023 at Sukuta-Jabang Traffic Light.
Continuing his testimony, The Gambia Army Force Instructor [GAF], Jallow, explained that he journeyed with the first and the second prosecution witnesses, Ismaila Bojang and Bakary R. Jarju from Palma Rima junction in a free-ride vehicle to Sukuta Traffic Light on 12 September 2023.
Jallow went on to narrate that when they were hungry at the time they reached Sukuta Traffic Light , he went to a nearby meat seller where he bought ‘’afra’’meat.
GAF Instructor said that after crossing Sukuta Traffic Light just opposite the roundabout, beside the restaurant, he heard a gunshot which according to him shot the first policeman with an AK47 rifle.
Jallow noted the alleged gunman also fired the second shot and killed the second policeman before shooting and injuring the third.
GAF officer, Jallow told the court that Bojang and Jarju, each later recovered an empty case of bullets, stating that the said empty cases of bullets came from a pistol.
When asked by defense counsel Adama Sillah, representing the second accused, Amie Bojang, whether he saw the gun that was allegedly used by the shooter, Jallow denied seeing the gun.
He affirmed that being an Instructor at the GAF after hearing the sound of the gun, he was certain that the shots came from a pistol and not an AK47 rifle.
At that point, Jallow denied being an accomplice of the PIU shooter when questioned by defense counsel Lamin J. Darboe, representing the first accused Ousainou to ascertain the time he phoned his colleagues at the time of the incident.
But Jallow’s uncertainty made defense counsel Darboe to call Abubacarr Jarju, a data analyst at Africell GSM Company to produce a call log of Jallow on 12 September 2023 before the court. Defense Counsel Darboe sought to have the call logs of Jallow [pw9] to be admitted and marked as an exhibit and it was accordingly admitted and marked as exhibit D36 .
Counsel Darboe then puts it to Jallow that he was never at Palma Rima Beach on 12 September 2023.
In his reply to defense counsel Darboe on whether he [Jallow] did travel after the incident of the PIU shooting, Jallow responded in the affirmative, noting that he travelled to Turkey either on 24 or 25 September 2023.
Meanwhile, under cross-examination with defense counsel Sillah, Jallow revealed giving a statement to the Joint Investigation Unit .
Thereafter, defense counsel Sillah asked the court to admit and mark his statement as an exhibit and it was granted and marked as exhibit DD5 after the court ordered DPP Yusuf to produce the statement of the ninth defense witness, Jallow. The case adjourned to the time when court resumes after a break.
