Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights Gun Survivor Shares Harrowing Experience of Losing Colleagues
By Landing Ceesay
Ancy Jawo, a police officer, recounted her harrowing experience surviving a shooting incident at the Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights where her colleagues, Pateh M. Jallow and Sang J. Gomez, lost their lives on September 12, 2023.
Ancy Jawo shared her firsthand account in court, breaking her silence on the incident for the first time since it happened last year. She described the tragic events where her colleagues were fatally shot while monitoring illegal car racing activities at the traffic lights.
Joining the Gambia Police Force in 2022, just a year before the tragic events at Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights, Ms. Jawo provided insight into her relatively brief tenure with the force.
During questioning about the accused individuals, Ousainou Bojang and Amie Bojang, Ms. Jawo affirmed recognition of Ousainou Bojang, having seen his picture on a phone.
“I saw the picture of one of the accused persons (Ousainou Bojang) on a mobile phone, that is how I recognized him,” she told the court.
Ms. Jawo told the court that on the 12th of September 2023, she was at Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights, on the highway.
“We went there on duties, and we were purposely there for the boys who do car racing. We were there until at night around 9 pm onwards,” she testified.
“When you say we, whom are you referring to?” Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) A.M. Yusuf asked.
“I mean my colleagues, Pateh M. Jallow, Sang J. Gomez and myself (Ancy Jawo). We were there, because it is usually busy there around that time. So we were there on standby. We were there until 9 onwards and heard a gun shot. When we heard the gun shot, myself and Sang J. Gomez, we looked at Pateh’s side and saw that Pateh was the one shot.
“Sang and I rushed towards Pateh, then the gunman shot Sang J. Gomez. When Sang J. Gomez was shot, I wanted to know the direction of the gunshot and who was firing the shots, then I was shot. Because I was shot, before I took 2 or 3 steps, I fell down, and I couldn’t breathe and then saw myself at the hospital,” Ancy Jawo told the court.
When asked the hospital she saw herself, Ms. Jawo told the court that she saw herself at Ndemban Clinic in Bakau.
“Can you remember whether anything happened when you saw yourself in the hospital?” DPP Yusuf asked.
“I saw them fix oxygen and the gunshot wound was stitched. On the same night, I was referred to Banjul, and I did a chest X-ray. When I did that, I was admitted until the next day in Banjul. The following day also I did a chest X-ray,” she told the court.
Ms. Jawo said, after the chest X-ray, around 2 pm on a Wednesday, then doctors and the surgical team came to inform her that she was supposed to have surgery.
“After that, they (Doctors) told me that I should sign a paper for operation, then I signed. When I signed I was there till after 2 pm, I was taken upstairs to the operation room. Then they (Doctors) operated and took me to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). I was there taking treatment for one week some days, then I was discharged and taken to the Private Ward of the same hospital in Banjul. Then I got discharged,” she told the court.
“After your discharge, have you been given appointments to go back there?” DPP Yusuf asked.
“Yes, I was given an appointment, and I was told to go to the nearest hospital, and it was Brikama. From there, I now come for my appointment in Banjul. I was going to Brikama for dressing,” Ancy Jawo testified.
“During your stay and after your discharge from Banjul hospital, have you seen any medical report?” DPP Yusuf asked again.
“I was not given the medical report directly, but I saw the medical report with the prosecutor,” she testified.
“Where exactly were you at the Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights?”DPP Yusuf asked.
“When coming from Brikama, before the roundabout, when coming from the turn table, is after the roundabout,” she said.
During cross-examination, Ms. Jawo affirmed to the court that she had indeed provided a statement to the police following the incident. She informed the court that she not only signed the statement but also provided her telephone number to the officer who recorded her account.
The statement was subsequently presented to Ancy Jawo for verification, and she confirmed its authenticity as the statement she had given to the police.
Counsel Lamin J. Darboe, representing Ousainou Bojang, then requested to submit the statement as part of the Defense’s exhibits. The Prosecution raised no objection to its admissibility.
Hon. Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, presiding judge, admitted the statement into evidence and designated it as Defense exhibit D10.
In response to Counsel LJ Darboe’s inquiry about the location of a nearby restaurant at the Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights, Ancy Jawo confirmed its existence.
“Were you conscious upon your arrival at Ndemban?” Counsel LJ Darboe asked. “No” she responded.
“When did you regain consciousness?” Counsel LJ Darboe asked again.
“When I got to the hospital, Ndemban,” she responded.
However, she couldn’t remember the moment she regained consciousness in the hospital. When questioned about visitors during her hospital stay, Ms. Jawo stated that she only encountered doctors and senior police officers.
“Who are those Senior Officers?” Counsel LJ Darboe asked.
“I didn’t recognize them and I will not be able to say that because by then I was in pain,” Ancy Jawo told the court.
The case was then adjourned to Tuesday for continuation.