By Landing Ceesay
Lamin Fofana, employed as a watchman, took the stand as the Fourth Prosecution Witness during the trial of Ousainou Bojang, the alleged perpetrator in the murder of two police officers at Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights.
Fofana informed the court of his role as a watchman at a compound near Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights. When queried about his acquaintance with Adama Jobe, he affirmed that Jobe was, indeed, his uncle.
Regarding the incident at Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights, Fofana admitted to uncertainty about the precise date. Recounting the events, he stated that upon returning from Maghrib prayer, he observed his uncle, Adama Jobe, pursuing an individual, claiming the person was a thief. Fofana explained that his uncle threw a stone at the fleeing person, who retaliated by hurling an object back. In an attempt to apprehend the individual, Fofana joined the pursuit briefly, but had to abandon it when he realized his door was unlocked. He subsequently returned to his post.
“When I came back from Maghrib prayer, I sat on a fence and noticed that my uncle was chasing someone. My uncle told me that the person running was a thief. So he took a stone and threw it at him, and the person running also threw something at him, but he dodged it. I ran after him to get a hold of him/catch him. But then I had to go back because my door was unlocked, and I went back to my chair,” Mr. Fofana told the court.
“Where did the gun come from?” State Counsel AM Yusuf asked Mr. Fofana.
“I don’t know where the gun came from. At the time he was trying to hit me with the gun, I bent my head to dodge him,” Mr. Fofana responded.
“So the gun was thrown at you by the man who was running?” Counsel AM Yusuf asked Mr. Fofana again.
“Yes, because he is the one who wanted to hit me with the gun,” Mr. Fofana stated.
“When you saw the gun, what did you do with it?” Counsel AM Yusuf asked Mr. Fofana.
“I took it and threw it into an empty land next to my house,” Mr. Fofana said.
Mr. Fofana indicated that the vacant plot is situated adjacent to the residence where he resides. During his testimony in court, he mentioned that the individual in question was dressed in a haftan.
Nevertheless, Mr. Fofana admitted to the court that he was unable to recall the specific color of the haftan. Furthermore, he informed the court that he couldn’t provide a detailed description of the person as he was unable to recognize them.
“After you threw the gun into an empty land, what happened?” Counsel AM Yusuf asked Mr. Fofana.
“I called my boss, Ansumana Tunkara, and he told me that I should not tell anybody about what happened and that he was going to call somebody to come and pick up the gun,” Mr. Fofana told the court.
Mr. Fofana testified that he did not tell anyone about the incident.
“Did your boss eventually call anybody to take the gun?” Counsel AM Yusuf asked, and Mr. Fofana responded in the positive.
“When was that?” Counsel AM Yusuf asked.
Mr. Fofana told the court that the person who called to pick up the gun came on Friday.
“Can you remember the type of the gun?” Counsel AM Yusuf asked.
“I don’t know guns and the types of guns. So if you asked me what type of gun I had, what would I answer?” Mr. Fofana told the court .
Under cross-examination, Mr. Fofana told the court that he gave a statement to the police on a Friday.
“Was it the Friday immediately after the shooting incident?” Counsel Lamin J. Darboe, the Defense Lawyer, asked Mr. Fofana.
“I cannot remember which Friday it was, but I know it was on a Friday,” Mr. Fofana responded.
In court, Mr. Fofana affirmed that he had supplied the police with his contact number, which is 795********. He attested to being 23 years old. Counsel LJ Darboe subsequently requested the prosecution to present the initial statement made by Lamin Fofana.
State Counsel AM Yusuf promptly furnished the original document, following which Counsel LJ Darboe sought its admission as evidence. With no objection from the prosecution, Hon. Justice Ebrima Jaiteh admitted Mr. Lamin Fofana’s statement into evidence.
“You said you don’t know anything about guns?” Counsel LJ Darboe asked.
“Yes, I don’t know anything about guns,” Mr. Fofana responded.
“When you picked up the pistol, was it dismantled into pieces?” Counsel LJ Darboe asked.
“It was dismantled,” Mr. Fofana told the court.
“How did you manage to fix it together?” Counsel LJ Darboe asked.
“I just collect it and throw it away like that,” he said.
“In your statement, you mentioned two people, Amara Tunkara and Ansumana Tunkara.” Counsel LJ Darboe asked.
“They are not the same people; the one I am working for is Ansumana Tunkara; he is my employer,” he said.
The case has been adjourned to Tuesday, December 12th, 2023 for continuation.
Background of the Case
On September 21, 2023, Ousainou and Amie Bojang made their initial appearance before Principal Magistrate Omar Jabang of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court, facing charges related to the shooting incident at Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights, which resulted in the tragic deaths of two PIU officers and severe injury to another on September 12, 2023.
The police had initially levelled four charges against the accused, including two murder charges, an act of terrorism charge, and an accessory after the fact to murder charge. Subsequently, Principal Magistrate Omar Jabang transferred the murder trial to the Special Criminal Division of the High Court of The Gambia.
On October 12, 2023, the case was presented before Hon. Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the High Court of The Gambia.
On October 19, 2023, the State brought six charges against Ousainou Bojang, the prime suspect in the deaths of two Police Intervention Unit (PIU) officers, and a single charge against his elder sister, Amie Bojang.
On October 24, 2023, both Ousainou Bojang and Amie Bojang entered pleas of not guilty to the charges.