Rongo and Efry Mbye in Court

FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)

Mamadou Dem

18 May 2011

Yaya Bah, the Imam of Banjulinding Mosque, on Monday 16th May testified in the case of Momodou Jarju (alias Rongo) and Abdoulie Mbye (alias Everybody Mbye).

The duo is jointly charged with Giving False Information to a Public Officer, Prohibition of Conduct Conducive to the Breach of the Peace, Uttering False Documents and Making False Documents.

Under cross examination, Mr Bah told the court that Eric Tundeh Janneh became the “Alkalo” of Banjulinding after the demise of his father.

Testifying further, Bah told the court that members of the council of elders were appointed at the NDEA office in Kanifing; (Holgam) and that he was appointed as advisor to this body. He said this body was set up on the instruction of the President.

He pointed out that he does not have a document indicating that they were given authority to appoint a council of elders of for Banjulinding. He however added,

“I do not have any document, but their director, Mr. Barry, told me that they were instructed to do it”. Asked whether he ever told investigating officers that there were too many mosques in Banjulinding, Bah replied in the negative and added that counsel had asked him this question before.

Asked how come that was in his witness statement; before the witness respond to the question, Superintendent Sainey Joof representing the Inspector General of Police objected to the question on the grounds that the document was not before the court. But barrister Ebrima Jah, counsel for the first accused person, (Rongo) was quick to pull out the statement of PW1 and showed it to him.

After looking at the document, Mr Bah acknowledged that the document is his statement and he agreed with the information contained in it.

At this juncture, Jah applied to tender the statement of PW1 in evidence as exhibit. Superintendent Joof objected to the application on the grounds that the witness did not know anything about the document as he is illiterate in English and that he is not the proper person to tender it through.

He finally urged the court to reject the document. Replying to the objection raised by the prosecutor, Jah said that the witness had admitted being the author of the statement and said he was the one who produced the information which was put in writing.

He added that the witness is aware of the document and that he had also clarified it and he would be the best person to tender it through; adding some one else cannot be called to tender it.

The objection made by the Police Prosecutor was overruled and the statement of the first prosecution witness was admitted and marked as defence exhibit A.

Hearing continues to Thursday 26th May 2011.

Meanwhile the second accused person Abdoulie Mbye was not represented in court.

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