|
Momodou
Denmark
11833 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Nov 2006 : 15:18:11
|
NDURE CHAM’S NEPHEW TESTIFIES
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Mustapha Lowe, a nephew of the Ex-Chief of Defence Staff, Col. Ndure Cham on Wednesday testified at the High Court in the treason trial of Tamsir Jassey, Alieu Jobe, Omar Keita and Demba Dem.
In his testimony before Justice Anin-Yaboah, Mr. Lowe narrated how his uncle left the country after the gate of the compound for him and welcomed him to his room where he pulled out a pistol from a black nylon bag. Lowe said that while chatting with his uncle, the CDS got a phone call. He narrated that he heard him mention the word ‘arrest’ and after the telephone conversation, his uncle looked worried and bent his head down for a while. Lowe indicated that he then questioned him what was the matter. He said that the CDS told him that he is accused of planning a coup d’etat, and further told him that he must leave the country.
He said that the CDS told him to make arrangement for a taxi to take him to Darsilameh the following morning, but instead he cancelled it and asked him embassies to come for him. He added that the arrangement failed and the uncle said to him a friend will take him to Darsilameh. The CDS, he said, asked him whether he know Tamsir Jassey, a former Director General of Immigration, and told him (the witness) to collect him (Jassey) at a junction. He also told him that Jassey would be coming in a white Land Rover.
He said he later directed Jassey to the home. He (Lowe) said he joined a vehicle to Brikama, and while at the fuel station in Brikama he (Lowe) got a phone call from the CDS who enquired about the situation in town and on the road. He said the uncle then asked him (Lowe) to join a taxi to Darsilameh, which he did. He said Darsilameh, the uncle called him (Lowe) again asking him what the situation on the road was. He explained, that Jassey and his uncle later joined him in Darsilameh. He said Ndure took his mobile and warned him not to disclose anything about his whereabouts. He said before they (CDS and Jassey) left, Jassey told him to wait because he would be back soon, but he could not withstand the fear and so he left.
After returning home, he received a call from a friend in Soma who asked him whether he heard his uncle’s problem. He then found a radio and listened to the announcement of the failed plot.
Surprisingly, he found the pistol of his uncle left in his room and planned to take it to the Police. But later he hid it somewhere else.
He admitted that on Saturday, the 25th of March, he was arrested early in the morning and whisked to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) in Banjul. He said, “They were beating me all over.” He noted that a man in a civilian dress who was among the armed men that arrested him, urged them to stop the beating, but they insisted. He said a man on the interrogation panel at the NIA asked him whether he knows a man introduced to him, and he answered “Yes, this is Tamsir.” He told the court that before writing his statement, he told them that the CDS left a pistol at his house, so they took him home to recover the pistol. He said he was then locked up in a cell.
Cross Examination
During cross-examination by the defence counsel, Lamin S. Camara, Lowe confirmed that he spent three days at the NIA and was moved to Mile 2 Central Prison. He said that he was charged alongside those accused but was told by the Director of Public Prosecutions that the charge is dropped. He also said that he is still in detention and confirmed that he was malhandled by the people who arrested him.
Alieu Lowe Testifies
In a brief appearance on Wednesday, Alieu Lowe the third prosecution witness said he does not know Ndure Cham and nothing about what happened on the 21st of March. As usual with him, he said that he returned from work, had his lunch, and sipped some Chinese tea (ATAYA) on 21st March.
The case proceeded on 9th November 2006.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No.98/2006, 10-12 November, 2006
|
|
Topic Locked
