Prosecution witness, Babucarr Mbaye Adama Saine, suggested that the accused Lamin Lang Sanyang who was “a nurse” acted above his pay grade by signing a death certificate he has no authority to sign.
The 30th witness in the trial of the “slain” opposition activist, Ebrima Solo Sandeng, said the “nurse” who signed the deceased death certificate has no authority to sign any such document.
Babucarr Mbaye Adama Saine, a witness in the ongoing murder trial of six former top officials of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and one “nurse”, said death certificate should be signed by only doctors.
Sandeng was an opposition activist who died in state custody on April 15, a day after he was arrested by paramilitary officials with couple of people protesting at Westfield for “proper electoral reform”.
Following his death, the state claimed he died of shock and respiratory failure. The person who allegedly signed that death certificated was Lamin Lang Sanyang.
Following the collapse of the regime of Yahya Jammeh, Sanyang was arrested with nine former officials of the NIA and charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder, among others.
One of the suspects, Louis Gomez, died while another suspect was acquitted.
Prosecution witness Saine who claimed he was trained at State Registered Nurse (SRN) school with the accused, said Sanyang works part time at Kanifing Hospital but also works at NIA.
Sanyang, according to Saine, works at their Accident and Emergency Department.
Saine, a resident of Sanchaba Sulay Jobe, is an administrator at the Serrekunda General Hospital overseeing medical records.
He told the High Court on Wednesday that the hospital authorities came to see on social media Sandeng’s death certificate made at the hospital with the signature of the accused.
He said Sandeng did not die at the hospital but the death certificate made for him is meant for people who died at the hospital, suggesting that it was inappropriate.
“Death certificates are issued for patients who died at our hospital but Solo Sandeng did not die at our hospital,” said Saine.
He said the process that is followed to create a document for people who died elsewhere and are brought to the hospital is slightly different.
“He (Lamin Lang Sanyang) is not authorized to sign any death certificate,” added Saine. The case resumes on March 11 for the continuation of the testimony of Saine.
The accused persons in the murder trial of Sandeng are Yankuba Badgie, Sheikh Omar Jeng, Haruna Susso, Tamba Mansari, Lamin Darboe, Lamin Lang Sanyang and Bubacarr Sallah.