Police Officer Tells Court Investigation Cleared Slain British Woman’s Boyfriend of Her Murder 

By Landing Ceesay 

Chief Inspector Landing Nasso, the lead investigator in the murder trial of Shakina Chinedu, a British citizen, under cross-examination, told the court that the deceased’s boyfriend was cleared during their investigation. 

During his testimony, Chief Nasso, testified in court that the accused, Augustine Bangura, confessed to both the murder and the theft of Chinedu’s belongings.

The prosecution tendered these belongings of the late Shakina Chinedu through Chief Inspector Nasso. 
Bangura is charged with murder and theft under sections 187 and 252 of the Criminal Code Revised Laws of the Gambia 2009.

According to the prosecution, on February 14, 2024, in Sinchang Village, West Coast Region of the Gambia, Bangura allegedly killed Chinedu by striking her at the back of her neck with a hammer. Additionally, on the same day and location, Bangura is accused of unlawfully appropriating items from Chinedu, including D80,000.00, two laptops, a tablet, flash drives, keys, a Canon camera, and various correspondence cards from her bag and apartment.

After the completion of Chief Inspector Nasso’s testimony, Augustine Bangura’s Lawyers were allowed to cross-examine Chief Inspector Nasso. 

“Is it correct that you’re the lead investigator in the case?” Counsel O. Susso, the lawyer representing Augustine Bangura asked Chief Inspector Nasso. 

“Yes, I played a lead role as the investigator,” Chief Inspector Nasso responded. 

“As a seasoned investigator, will you agree with me that criminal investigation is an applied science?” Counsel Susso asked again. 

“I don’t agree,” Chief Inspector responded. 

However, Chief Inspector Nasso agreed that in investigating a criminal case, there are different techniques used by investigators. 

“Can you share with the court the techniques you used in this case?” Counsel Susso asked. 

“The first technique we used as a team to investigate the matter was that we applied a printout of the deceased telephone numbers, and we centered the investigation on it, and it involves the accused person (Augustine Bangura), Chief Inspector Nasso responded. 

Chief inspector Nasso told the court that, as part of the techniques used, several people whose names were mentioned during their investigation were interviewed by the team of Investigators. 

Chief Inspector Nasso agreed that In addition to the techniques, in investigating a crime there are indicators of suspicions. 

“Is it also correct that one of the indicators of suspicion is the manner of committing a crime?” Counsel Susso asked. 

“It is not all motives,” Chief Inspector Nasso responded. 

“As a seasoned prosecutor, will you rule out motive in investigating a crime?” Counsel Susso asked again. 

“You cannot rule out a motive,” Chief Inspector Nasso responded. 

“Since you have interviewed all the witnesses during your investigation, you must have interviewed one Nicole Palmer?” Counsel Susso asked. 

“The one I remember is Nikkie Palmer and not Nichole,” Chief Inspector Nasso responded. 

Chief Inspector Nasso went further to explain to the court what transpired between him and Nikki Palmer during their investigation. 

“Since you have interviewed Nikkie Palmer, she must have told you about one Mr. Bruce. Is that correct?” Counsel Susso asked. “Yes,” Chief Inspector Nasso responded. 

“Didn’t she tell you that Mr. Bruce’s behavior at the time the alleged incident happened was bizarre?” Counsel Susso asked. 

“I cannot remember, and I did not obtain her statement,” Chief Inspector Nasso responded. 

“I am putting it to you that at the time you interviewed Nikkie Palmer, she told you about the weird behaviour of Mr. Bruce who was the deceased boyfriend?” Counsel Susso told Chief Inspector Nasso. 
“I remember her saying that the deceased ex-boyfriend was Mr Bruce,” The witness told the court. 

“I am putting it to you that in addition to what Nikkie Palmer told you regarding Mr Bruce, she also told you that the deceased (Shakina Chinedu) was in a romantic relationship with Mr Bruce,” Counsel Susso told Chief Inspector Nasso. 

“I remember when we got Mr. Bruce’s information or name during the investigation, Mr. Bruce was also invited for questioning and later a statement was obtained from him, but I cannot remember any sort of relationship between the deceased (Shakina Chinedu) and Mr. Bruce,” Chief Inspector Nasso told the court. 

Counsel Susso asked Chief Inspector Nasso the reason, Mr. Bruce was called for questioning when his name was “merely” mentioned by Nikkie Palmer. 

Chief Inspector Nasso said since murder is a high crime, anybody whose names or information were received, was invited for questioning. 

“In addition to murder being a high crime, you had reasonable belief that Bruce could have been the perpetrator, given the indicators of suspicion,” Counsel Susso told Chief Inspector Nasso. 
“Being part of the investigation, and as an investigator, we did not have any reasonable belief on Mr. Bruce being the perpetrator, other than the accused person (Augustine Bangura) who confessed voluntarily and later led the investigators including to recover all the stolen materials or articles of the deceased (Shakina Chinedu),” Chief Inspector Nasso responded. 

“I am putting it to you that, in a desperate attempt to incriminate the accused (Augustine Bangura) by linking him to the commission of the alleged crime, you forced the accused to confess even though as a clear indicator that Mr. Bruce had the motive to commit the offence,” Counsel Susso told Chief Inspector Nasso. 

“I totally disagree with counsel and there is no evidence at all found or linking Mr Bruce to the murder, other than the accused person (Augustine Bangura),” Chief Inspector Nasso denied the allegation. 
About the D80,000 purportedly recovered from Augustine Bangura’s house, Chief Inspector Nasso told the court that the money was recovered by the team of Investigators, not him personally. 

“Is it correct that you and your team recovered the said D80,000? Is that correct?” Counsel Susso asked.

“Yes, the amount of D80,000 was recovered from the accused (Augustine Bangura) house who said it was part of the money he stole from the deceased (Shakina Chinedu) after committing the crime,” Chief Inspector Nasso said. 

Chief Inspector Nasso said the money was recovered in the presence of his team of Investigators. 
“At what stage were you informed that the D80,000 was purportedly recovered from the accused house?” Counsel Susso asked. 

 “I remember that I was informed after the money was recovered because we were not concentrating on the same angles,” Chief Inspector Nasso said. 

Chief Inspector Nasso said he could remember being informed that the money was recovered in Augustine Bangura’s house while the investigation was on. 

“I am putting it to you that you were not with your colleagues when the purported D80,000 was recovered,” Counsel Susso told Chief Inspector Nasso. 

“I was part and parcel of the investigation team, but it was my colleagues who recovered the money and told me. I was also concentrating on other angles,” Chief Inspector Nasso insisted. 

“Will I be correct to say that you were not at the accused house?” Counsel Susso asked. 

“I was there at the compound, but not inside the house. The compound of the accused was where we found the bunch of keys,” Chief Inspector Nasso told the court. 

The case was adjourned to the 14th of October 2024 for continuation.