By: Nicholas Bass
The National Security Adviser, Abubakarr Suleiman Jeng Wednesday denied seeing the alleged paramilitary shooter’s gun or having the CCTV footage of the shooting that occurred at Sukuta-Jabang Traffic Light.
Appearing as a witness before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of Banjul High Court in the trial of Ousainou Bojang, Mr. Jeng also denied stating that the accused was a ‘’Casamance rebel.’’
It would be recalled that Ousainou Bojang was accused of causing the untimely death of two police officers and injuring another, a charge he continued to deny.
Mr. Jeng claimed that the assertion of Ousainou being a ‘’Casamance rebel’’ was based on the verbal intelligence information he received.
However, when asked by defense counsel Adama Sillah , representing the second accused Amie Bojang, Jeng declined to mention his source of information in a jam-packed courtroom.
He told the court that based on the nature of his work, he could not discuss such information in court, unless compelled to do so.
When defense counsel Sillah asked Jeng whether he had the written statement he made on 16 September 2023, he answered in the affirmative, adding that he gave the said statement to the DPP Yusuf who wasted no time to present it to the court.
Defense lawyer Sillah , then , asked the court to admit the written statement Mr. Jeng made on 16 September 2023 and it was admitted and marked as DD4 without any objection from DPP Yusuf and defense counsel Darboe.
Asked by defense Counsel Sillah to ascertain whether he saw the weapon that was allegedly recovered at the time of the incident, the National Security Adviser, Jeng, denied noting that he did not see the weapon.
But Jeng affirmed that having a brief conversation with President Adama Barrow pertaining to the fatal PIU shooting that caused the untimely death of two police officers, leaving another injured.
The Director of Public Prosecution objected to defense Counsel Sillah’s question when he asked the witness, Mr. Jeng to ascertain whether he preferred to rely on the statement he made on 16th September 2023 or that of his court testimony.
DPP Yusuf argued that defense counsel Sillah ought not to ask such a question to the witness. Then, Justice Jaiteh upheld the objection of DPP, ordering defense counsel Sillah to rephrase his question.
Going further Jeng stated that he was not in the business of investigation when he was asked by defense counsel Sillah to give the names of six [6] other suspects who were arrested at the time of the investigation of the Joint Investigation Team.
Jeng said that he could not confirm whether there was an extension to the stay of ECOWAS officers after the PIU shooting .
Meanwhile, Justice Jaiteh has summoned Omar S. Jallow, Gambia Armed Forces officer, to appear in court and testify in the ongoing paramilitary shooting trial.
GAF Officer Jallow is expected to appear and testify as the ninth defense witness of Ousainou Bojang.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe, representing the first accused, Ousainou deduced that the military officer, Jallow at the time of the Joint Investigation Team [JIT] made a statement as an eyewitness which according to him is important for him to repeat the same in court.
Counsel Darboe’s application before the court was not opposed to by the Director of Public Prosecution AM Yusuf who affirmed that officer Jallow at the time was shortlisted as prosecution [state] witness.
Counsel Adama Sillah , representing the second accused , Amie Bojang did not object to defense counsel Darboe’s submission.
At that stage the presiding Judge stated that the right of the accused to call and examine witnesses in their defense was not a ‘’foundational principle of the nation’s domestic legal system, but also a constitutionally guaranteed right.
Relying on section 123 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the trial Judge granted the application sought by defense counsel Darboe by ordering Omar S. Jallow, a military officer attached to GAF Training School, to appear and testify ‘’truthfully’’ in the next adjourned date.
