Defence lawyer in Bob Keita trial
By Buba Gagigo
In the Bob Keita trial on Thursday, Defence lawyer Lamin S. Camara has argued that there was no blood extraction from baby Muhammed upon the court’s order on 7th July 2022.
In May 2022, the State Prosecutors filed a notice of motion for the High Court to grant an order for a DNA test between Bob Keita (accused person) and the child of his alleged victim.
On 7th July 2022, Justice Momodou S.M. Jallow gave an order for the DNA test to be conducted using the blood samples of Bob Keita, the child of his alleged victim and the alleged victim’s boyfriend.
The State Prosecutor, Kimbeng Tah, told the Court that the child was in a coma at a private clinic in Dakar, Senegal.
Three days later (10 July 2022) news of the passing of the child emerged on social media said to have occurred on 8th July, 2022.
On 13th July, State Prosecutor Kimbeng Tah, confirmed to the court the death of the child; but informed the court that the blood samples of the child were taken before his demise in Dakar.
On the same day, despite his lawyer questioning the credibility and transparency of the blood samples allegedly taken from the child before his death, Justice Momodou S.M. Jallow ordered for Bob Keita to be transported to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) for his blood samples to be taken.
It was later reported that his blood samples were taken together with his alleged victim’s boyfriend.
In the Thursday hearing, Bob Keita’s Lawyer Lamin S. Camara referred the court to paragraphs 4 to 16 in support of his motion by asking whether blood was extracted from baby Muhammed since 7th July when the court ordered blood samples to be taken.
Responding to his own question L.S. Camara said there was no blood extraction from baby Muhammed upon the order from the court on 7th July.
In his response to the 22-paragraph affidavit in opposition, he received from the state; Lawyer Camara argued that the state failed to comply with the 7th July order by the court to extract blood samples from baby Muhammed.
He said in paragraph 11, the respondent has admitted to not complying with the July 7th order (To take blood samples). The Defence lawyer said paragraph 21 of the affidavit in opposition is false.
State Counsel Kembing K Tah, objected when Lawyer Camara used the word ‘whisk’ during his argument.
The State counsel Tah demanded lawyer Lamin S. Camara to withdraw the word, but the lawyer refused, and said it’s normal to use the word.
At this stage, the judge intervened and ruled in favour of counsel Camara that the word ‘whisk’ can be used.
The defence lawyer later told journalists outside the courtroom that the word ‘whisk’ is ‘simple English’ meaning ‘takeaway’.
The case is adjourned to 25th July 2022, 12pm for the defence council to finish his arguments.