“Witness tampering” case: Kanyi reveal details of phone call with Touray

Alagie Kanyi, a former soldier who have confessed to participating in 11 killings, has told the High Court on Thursday that Yankuba Touray has called him to inquire if he had told the Truth Commission anything relating to the death of Koro Cesay.

Former military man Touray faces allegation of witness tampering before the High Court with former speaker Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay.

The two were alleged to have attempted to persuade Alagie Kanyi not to appear before the Truth Commission probing the human rights violations of the administration of the former President Yahya Jammeh.

Testimonies before the Commission have indicated that former Finance Minister Koro was killed at the residence of Touray.

Kanyi has already confessed his involvement in Koro’s death. The case which was before the Kanifing Magistrate Court has been transferred to High Court and its prosecution was taken over by the state prosecutor.

The case first came up at the High Court on April 16 but the accused pleaded not guilty and they were bailed.

The two faces conviction to a fine not exceeding one million dalasis [about 21,000 U.S. dollars] or to imprisonment not exceeding three years or both a fine and imprisonment if they are found guilty.

Meanwhile, Kanyi reiterated in court on Thursday that he was called by both Ceesay and Touray seeking to persuade him not to speak to the Commission.

“She (Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay) said Yankuba Touray told her that I was called by the TRRC. She asked what the TRRC asked me and I told her that they asked me about the 11^th November incident,” Kanyi said.

“She said to me ‘don’t worry you people are junior officers, don’t mind’.”

After his testimony, Kanyi was cross-examined by Lawyer Abdoulie Sisoho, the Counsel for Yankuba Touray. Sisoho seeks to point out “inconsistencies” in the testimonies of the witness.

“Which of your testimonies is the truth— is it the one you made before the TRRC or the one you made before this court? At the TRRC you said Yankuba Touray called you and told you ‘not to mind them’ you told the whole Gambia that you slammed the phone on him and now you told the court a different thing,” Sisoho said.

The case was adjourned to Monday May 20 for continuation of cross-examination of Kanyi from 10 to 11 am.