By Landing Ceesay
The Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, represented by Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) AM Yusuf, submitted two postmortem reports for Officers Pateh M. Jallow and Sang J. Gomez, who were killed at the Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights.
Ousainou Bojang faces charges for the murder of these two members of the Gambia Police Intervention Unit (PIU), Pateh M. Jallow and Sang J. Gomez.
Professor Gabriel testified in court that he conducted autopsies on the two police officers allegedly killed by Ousainou Bojang (the first accused) at the Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights.
Professor Gabriel Odun, head of pathology and laboratory medicine at Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH), appeared as the Seventh Prosecution Witness (PW7) following the conclusion of testimony from Police Detective Ebou Sowe (PW6).
“In September 2023, the dead bodies of Pateh Jallow and Sang J. Gomez were present at EFSTH for postmortem examination. Are you aware of this,” DPP Yusuf asked Prof. Gabriel.
“I am aware. I personally conducted the examinations,” Prof. Gabriel replied.
Professor Gabriel confirmed that he issued and signed a report after conducting the postmortem examination.
When asked if he would recognize the postmortem reports he issued, Professor Gabriel affirmed.
He was then presented with the two postmortem reports for identification, and he confirmed that they were the ones he issued.
After confirming the reports, DPP Yusuf requested to submit them as evidence. They pertained to Pateh M. Jallow and Sang J. Gomez, the deceased police officers.
With no objections from the Defense, Hon. Justice Ebrima Jaiteh admitted the two postmortem reports as evidence, marking them as exhibits P20 and P21.
During cross-examination, Professor Gabriel testified that he was in the Autopsy room of the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) when the dead bodies of Pateh M. Jallow and Sang J. Gomez were brought in.
Professor Gabriel also stated that he could not determine the exact time when the dead bodies of Pateh M. Jallow and Sang J. Gomez arrived at the hospital.
“Do you know the time of their dead.?” Counsel Lamin J. Darboe, the Lawyer representing Ousainou Bojang asked Prof. Gabriel.
“I don’t certify their death so I don’t know,” Prof. Gabriel replied.
“Look at the exhibit, there is a column where you put the day and time of the dead, so who certifies their death?” Counsel LJ Darboe asked.
“I don’t know who certifies their dead. There are procedures and some will take the dead bodies to the emergency room. There is documentation there, and those documentations are tagged with clinical reports. Those clinical reports were also made of medical reports. Those records are plugged into your autopsy where there is a column and row that has the date and time of the death recorded. That is where these dates and times are listed,” Prof. Gabriel told the Court.
“So you are telling the court that you know nothing about the certification of the dead of Pateh M. Jallow and Sang J Gomez,” Counsel LJ Darboe quizzed Prof. Gabriel.
“There is a difference between a doctor certifying someone’s death, and a medical certificate of death, they are separate,” Prof. Gabriel replied.
Prof. Gabriel told the court that a medical certificate of death is prepared when the cause the death is certain.
Prof. Gabriel told the court In the immediate case, the medical certificate of death was written after a postmortem examination.
“So when you prepare the medical certificate of death, where were you?” Counsel LJ Darboe asked Prof. Gabriel.
“I cannot remember, because I either write it in my
office or the mortuary,” Prof. Gabriel told the court.
Prof. Gabriel said his office is inside Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul.
Asked when he conducted the autopsy, Prof. Gabriel informed the court that the autopsy was conducted on the 14th of September 2023, at 15:19 hours.
“What is the average length of the autopsy,” Counsel LJ Darboe asked.
“It varies depending on the complexity of the case. The primary aim of the autopsy is to find out the dead and the cause of the dead. Some you can spend 30 minutes,” Prof. Gabriel testified.
“Did you recall how long it takes you.?” Counsel LJ Darboe asked.
“I cannot remember how long it took me. But I don’t think it took me more than 40 minutes,” Prof. Gabriel responded.
The case has been adjourned to Tuesday 30th April 2024 for continuation of cross-examination.