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Momodou
Denmark
11755 Posts |
 Posted - 20 Jan 2007 : 17:21:31
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AT THE TREASON TRIAL DETECTIVE DENIES CLAIMS OF ELECTRIC SHOCKS
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
Lamin Cham, a Police Detective, who appeared before the court martial on Thursday, has denied that the fourth accused person had been electrolocuted at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). Cham’s denial came in the wake of a vigorous cross examination by Lawyer Lamin Mboge.
Cham said that the fourth accused person, 2nd Lieutenant Pharing Sanyang was not forced to write a statement. Cham also denied that 2nd Lt. Sanyang was subjected to electrolocution while he was handcuffed before his statement was obtained. When it was put to him by the defence that Sanyang was punched with lighted cigarette butts by military officers while being taken to the NIA, the Police detectives said he is not aware of that. Cham also denied that 2nd Lt. Sanyang had blood stains, adding that he did not notice any cut on his hands caused by a bayonet. He refuted the claim that the fourth accused person had broken teeth and added that he did not see blood oozing from his head.
Cham told the court that he could not remember all the accused persons who appeared in a video cassette recovered from Modou Sanyang of GRTS. On a micro cassette tendered in court, he said he knew the content, but could not tell the content of a bigger cassette shown to him. Asked about an Arabic text found in Omar Faal Keita’s house, Cham said there are twelve names in the text and among them are Manlafie Corr, Famara Jammeh and Sainey Mendy who he said are not part of the accused persons. Asked to read the writings in Arabic, he read only one line. He said he could not read anything else and denied that he was told the names in the text by somebody else. He also said he had no mistakes in his interpretation of the first line in the text.
Cham, earlier on, told the court that the fourth accused person was brought before the investigation panel during the day and not at the middle of the night as the defence put it to him. He said that it happened in the presence of Babou Loum, an independent witness, who was called from Barra by Sergeant Ndure. He added that 2nd Lt. Sanyang was in uniform when he was brought before them and that he filled in his name in the cautionary statement.
In a cross-examination, earlier on, with the prosecutor, Mr. Cham said himself, Abdoulie Sowe and Boto Keita recovered a video tape from Modou Sanyang at the GRTS who formally handed it to the Director of the NIA. He said a paper written in Arabic was discovered at Omar Faal Keita’s house and another paper meant to be read after the success of the plot was found in Captain Bunja Darboe’s office by Sowe and Keita. He said a micro cassette and a tape recorder were also recovered from the present Chief of Defence Staff Col. Lang Tombong Tamba. Cham read in court part of the Arabic text and names in it. The names are Bunja Darboe, Famara Jammeh, Yaya Darboe, Abdoukarim Jah, Sainey Mendy, Pharing Sanyang, Momodou Alieu Bah and Wassa Camara. He said the rest of the text could either be read by the author or an expert. The police detective said that Omar Faal Keita who is facing a treason trial at the High Court was approached by Alieu Jobe (also facing the same charges) to work for them on the success of the foiled coup.
According to him, Keita is a marabout residing in Kerr Serign. Another text he said listed the number of charities Keita assigned them to give out.
He concluded his evidence in chief by saying that after all their investigations; they compiled a report and filed a case at the Attorney General Chambers for legal proceedings.
Hearing continuous today, Friday, at the General Court Martial, at the Yundum Military Barracks.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No.008/2007, 19-21 January, 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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