By Landing Ceesay
Abdoulie Drammeh, a taxi driver from Brikama Nema, testified in court that he transported Ousainou Bojang (1st accused) and Amie Bojang (2nd accused) from Brufut to Darsilameh.
Ousainou Bojang faces six charges, including the murder of two Police Intervention Unit (PIU) officers, while his elder sister, Amie Bojang, is charged with being an accessory after the fact of murder.
Mr. Drammeh testified that he recognized both Ousainou and Amie Bojang during the court proceedings.
He recounted that Amie Bojang requested a trip from Brikama to Brufut, agreeing on a fare of D1,300. Upon arrival in Brufut, Amie asked him to wait. Shortly after, Ousainou Bojang entered the taxi, stating that his sister had informed him that Mr. Drammeh was there to pick him up. Amie then joined them, and they departed for Brikama.
During the trip, the siblings conversed in Jola. Upon reaching Brikama, Amie suggested going to the garage, but Ousainou declined, mentioning advice from a police officer to avoid public places. This conversation occurred in Mandinka and Wolof.
Amie then asked Mr. Drammeh to drive them to Darsilameh for an additional D1,200. In Darsilameh, they stopped at a bicycle repair shop. Amie spoke to a motorcyclist and arranged for him to take Ousainou.
“Then I asked him what happened, and he (Ousainou Bojang) told me that his sister informed him that I was there to pick him up. When he entered after a minute, the sister (Amie Bojang) came out, then we departed. We went all the way to Brikama. When we were going, they were speaking in Jola. When we arrived in Brikama as agreed, the sister (Amie Bojang) told the man (Ousainou Bojang) let’s go to the garage. Then the man (Ousainou Bojang) told her no, and the police officer who advised him told him that he should not go to a public place. He said that in Mandinka not in Jola and also in Wolof.
“The sister (Amie Bojang) then told me to take them to Darsilameh, and we agreed on a price for D1,200. Then we departed to Darsilameh, and upon our arrival in Darsilameh, there was a bicycle repairer that’s where we stopped. Then the sister (Amie Bojang) alighted from the vehicle and told me that she was coming. There was a motorcyclist standing on the left side of the road, the sister went there to talk to him. When she spoke with the motorcyclist, she came back and told the man (Ousainou Bojang) that she already agreed with the motorcyclist and let’s go,” Mr. Drammeh testified.
Mr. Drammeh further informed the court that following the motorcyclist’s transportation of Ousainou Bojang, he returned accompanied by the 2nd accused, Amie Bojang, to Brikama.
He recounted that upon their arrival in Brikama, situated between the church and the police station, they encountered a Seven-passenger vehicle. Instructing Amie Bojang to board that vehicle as he was headed to work.
Mr. Drammeh indicated that he couldn’t recall the exact date but estimated it to be approximately 8 months prior.
During cross-examination, Mr. Drammeh revealed to the court that he had provided a statement to the police regarding the case.
Representing Ousainou Bojang, Counsel Lamin J. Darboe asked if Mr. Drammeh could identify the statement he had given to the police.
Mr. Drammeh confirmed and informed the court that he had thumbprinted the statement and provided his contact number, which was included in the document.
Subsequently, Counsel LJ Darboe presented a photocopy of the statement for Mr. Drammeh to identify, which he did as the one he had given to the police.
Counsel LJ Darboe then requested the original copy of Mr. Drammeh’s statement from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), A.M. Yusuf.
Upon the DPP’s provision of the original copy, Counsel LJ Darboe sought to tender it into evidence as exhibits.
A request was made to the DPP for the original copy of the witness statement.
The DPP complied, handing over the statement to the defence counsel.
The Defence Counsel subsequently applied for the witness statement to be tendered into evidence as an exhibit.
The DPP did not object to the admissibility of the witness statement. Hon. Justice Jaiteh then admitted it into evidence and marked it as Defence exhibit D8.
“When you were negotiating with the second accused (Amie Bojang), she told you that she was picking someone from Brufut?” Counsel LJ Darboe asked.
“Yes, that was what she told me,” Mr. Drammeh told the court.
“On the way to Brikama, the 1st accused, Ousainou Bojang was talking about a white lady, is that not the case?” Counsel LJ Darboe asked.
“They (Ousainou and Amie Bojang) were speaking in Jola, but I didn’t know what they were saying,” Mr. Drammeh told the court.
Counsel LJ Darboe then borrowed exhibit D8, the witness statement of Abdoulie Drammeh and asked him whether he could read and write.
Mr. Drammeh told the court that he cannot read or write.
Counsel LJ Darboe then asked him whether his statement was read to him at the police, Mr. Drammeh responded in the positive and confirmed to the court that his statement was read to him.
“My lord, with your permission, can I read the first two lines of the witness statement?” Counsel LJ Darboe indulges the court.
The court then granted him to read the first two lines of Mr. Drammeh’s statement.
“Inside the car, I heard the two people speaking in Jola, I couldn’t interpret it, but I heard them say toubab, a white lady. Was that what happened?” Counsel LJ Darboe read Mr. Drammeh’s statement.
“Yes, that is what happened,” Mr. Drammeh told the court.
When questioned by the Lawyer representing Amie Bojang (2nd accused), Counsel Sillah on the colours of the accused persons’ clothes.
Mr. Drammeh told the court that he could not remember the colours of their clothes.
The case was adjourned to the 3rd of June 2024 for continuation.