Key fact: When several journalists called Jammeh's comments insensitive, authorities briefly locked them up on "sedition" charges.
The lead investigator into the alleged coup plot involving the former Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. General Lang Tombong Tamba and seven others, yesterday continued his testimony at the High Court in Banjul.
Continuing his testimony before Justice Emmanuel Amandi, the 15th prosecution witness said Rui Jabbi Kassama told them that he was assigned by Ngorr Secka, the 6th accused person, to procure arms in Guinea Bissau.
According to the witness, Rui said he made contact with one Trawally for transaction of arms, but things had never materialised.
He further testified that Rui told them that during another meeting at the Samaritan Restaurant, Ngorr Secka was with Kukoi Samba Sanyang so as to see the explosives.
And when they saw the explosives, they decided that they would transport them to The Gambia, and that the ship that should bring the arms was anchored at a place called Kachi.
P15 adduced that after receiving this information, on the following day, they travelled to Kachi to see the ship. He said the name of the ship is 'Mare De Bissau'.
"We came to know of the ship through the same source (Rui Jabbi Gassama), and the place it anchored. We also came to know the owner of the ship through Rui, and the owner of the ship is a Portuguese national, Rui Damas."
He further adduced that they went with one security officer, whom they met at the detention centre in Bissau, to seek clearance to see the ship. He said they saw the ship, and they were able to interact with the engineer of the ship, one Philip, who informed them that the owner had travelled to Portugal.
"We boarded the ship with the help of the security, during which photos of the ship were taken by one of our team members. We departed back to Bissau and, prior to our return to The Gambia, we handed over the witness statement form to Guinea-Bissau authorities," he told the court.
According to PW15, "on the 18th of December 2009 with the help of the Guinea Bissau security officer, Lt. Colonel Sano, we visited the Samaritan Restaurant, where we interacted with the proprietor of the said restaurant, Muhammed Nyang, a Senegalese national who informed us that ..."
At this stage, senior defence counsel PC Secka rose and raised an objection, on the grounds that what Muhammed Nyang informed them is inadmissible, and it is an offence on the rules of hearsay. He then cited Section 19 of the Evidence Act, to back his objection. Then he quickly told the court that he was withdrawing his objection for the time being.
Then PW15 continued testifying, further stating that the restaurant owner informed them that he knows Rui Jabbi Kassama, and that he frequently visits the restaurant on a daily basis to have refreshments with Gambians. He adduced that a photo was also taken of the said restaurant prior to their departure by a team member.
He said Rui also told them that in another development, Ngorr Secka and Kukio Samba Sanyang asked him to provide them with four-wheel-drive vehicles for transporting some dissidents and mercenaries in the sub-region to The Gambia. They were to travel by land and the route to follow was: "From Bissau to Gumulumabu down to Tamba Counda, then Kaolack via Barra and finally in Banjul."
He said prior to these activities, Rui told them that Ngorr Secka had called Colonel Ndure Cham, and that at one time he (Rui) was able to talk to the former Chief of Defence Staff and Bo Badjie, and he told them about all the activities in Bissau.
"Some of the mercenaries are Gambian dissidents," the NIA officer told the court.
"We finally came back to The Gambia alongside Rui Jabbi Gassama and Kabirou Saidy and, upon arrival we decided to interrogate Ngorr Secka, during which he said he was the deputy head of mission at the Gambian Embassy in Bissau, and that he knows Kabirou Saidy as his errand boy, and one Omar Camara, former National Assembly Member in one of the constituencies in the Upper River Region, whom he said, normally spent the night with them from time to time at Bissau," PW15 said.
Ngorr Secka, he added, told them that he knows the Samaritan Resturant and that his first visit there was with Willy Joof, the former Gambian Ambassador to Guinea-Bissau. The second visit there was to buy fast food. The witness said when confronted with Rui he (Ngorr) denied knowing Rui Jabbi Gassama.
He said an identification parade was conducted on the 21st of November at the National Intelligence Agency premises. He said Ngorr Secka was called and informed about the parade, and asked whether he wanted to change his clothes, and he (Ngorr) said there was no need.
He said, prior to the identification parade, Rui was incommunicado adding that the parade was held near the investigation grounds, where 13 people were paraded including Ngorr Secka.
PW15 said Ngorr was asked to position himself, and then Rui was brought, and he Rui) identified Ngorr Secka by placing his hand on his (Ngorr's) shoulders, and a photo taken.
Asked by the DPP as to who were those on parade, the witness replied that they form the technical unit and mechanic unit of the NIA, and added that none of those on parade had access to or interacted with Rui.
Ngorr Secka and Rui were later interrogated, during which process Ngorr stated that he does not know Rui Jabbi, but could have been identified by Rui because he was public figure, the witness added.
"On the 24th of December two separate identification parades were also conducted, and Bo Badjie was invited with 13 others. Rui was again brought, and he identified Bo Badjie by placing his hand on his shoulders, and photos taken," PW15 further told the court.
After the parade, the witness said he asked Bo Badjie whether he had any observations such as repeating the parade, but he (Bo Badjie) said even if identified, its because he is a public figure, and there is no need to repeat the parade.
PW15 further told the court that another parade was conducted concerning the former CDS Lang Tombong Tamba and Rui was again brought, and he identified Lang by raising his hand and touching him. Later Rui and Lang were confronted and Lang denied knowing Rui.
PW15 said he asked Lang Tombong Tamba whether he had any observations about the parade, and Lang Tombong Tamba stated that he was featured on Guinea-Bissau TV on several occasions during a series of visits there. He said that Lang Tombong Tamba also said it would not be a surprise to him if Rui identifies him.
The NIA officer further revealed that statements were later obtained from all the accused persons and witnesses concern and list of their contacts, including Kukio Samba Sanyang.
He added that a request was made by the NIA to Gamcel, Comium, Africell, and Qcell for their respective printouts, of the accused persons' phone calls. PW15 added that this was done at different intervals, starting from November 2009.
He said the printouts and photos were made available to the panel.
According to the witness, after two to three weeks, the panel received information that Kukoi Samba Sanyang has made some comments on a web site (www.allGambia.net) with the headline 'Rui Jabbi Gassama was handed over by Guinea Bissau authorities to the Gambian authorities by government of Malam Bekai Sanha."
He said upon receiving this information, "we took up the matter with the Director of Operation, and I was asked to liaise with the IT unit of the NIA to download the information, which I did from the computer."
Asked by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Richard R. Chenge, whether he can recognised the document, the witness replied in the affirmative.
He added that the document was downloaded at the NIA IT Unit using good working computers.
The DPP then applied to tender the said document as an exhibit, which was marked by the presiding judge as exhibit P25 without any objection from the defence team.
Cross Examination Of PW15 by Defence Counsel SM Tambedou
Q- Can you tell the court the procedure you adopted when you arrested the accused persons?
A- I was not among the officers who effected arrest on the accused persons.
Q- Do you know the date of their arrest?
A- I could not recall.
Q- When the accused persons were arrested, do you know what happened to the properties that were found on them?
A- I did not know.
Q- Do you know what happened to their mobile phones?
A- Yes, My Lord, I have the mobile phones of Lang Tombong Tamba and Modou Gaye, which were handed over to me.
Q- What about the mobile phones of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th accused persons?
A- I can only remember that of the 1st and 5th accused persons.
Q- While under arrest were they allowed access to their mobile phones?
A- No, they are not allowed.
Q- If a printout shows a call that was made after the arrest, such could not have been made by the accused persons?
A- I am not an expert.
Q- You said you are the leader of the investigation team?
A- Yes.
Q- You said you found the copy of the Daily Observer in possession of Rui Jabbi Gassama?
A- It was handed over to us by the officers of Guinea Bissau, who arrested Rui Jabbi Gassama.
Q- Rui confirmed to you that he got the newspaper in The Gambia?
A- Yes, he confirmed to the panel that he got it in The Gambia during one of his visits to The Gambia.
Q- What did Rui say to the panel about the newspaper?
A- Rui said he bought the newspaper.
Q-You would agree with me that Rui has seen the face of the 1st and 3rd accused in the newspaper?
A- Yes.
Q- When you held an identification parade for the 1st accused, what was Rui identifying?
A- He was identifying him.
Q- Your visit in Guinean Bissau, did you visit the alleged training camp in Bissau?
A- No.
Q- Did you gather any evidence of this training camp?
A- No.
Q- You said you obtained the contact numbers of the accused persons and witnesses, how did you obtain the telephone number of Kukoi?
A- From Ebrima Marreh and Rui Jabbi Gassama.
Q- Did you call this number listed for Kukoi?
A- No.
Q- Did you try to confirm whether this number belongs to Kukoi?
A- We did not confirm.
Q- During investigation did you obtain statement from Yankuba Drammeh, former Deputy of Chief of Defence Staff?
A- Yes, a statement was obtained from him.
Q- Was his telephone number taken?
A- I have no idea.
Q- What kind of statement was obtained from Yankuba Drammeh?
A- Witness statement.
Q- Why did you not obtain his telephone number?
A- I did not obtain his statement.
Q- Did you obtain statements from any of the accused persons?
A- No, not my role.
Q- But you wrote all their contact numbers?
A- Yes.
Q- I am putting it to you that the telephone numbers of the former Deputy Chief of Defence Staff are 9979977 and 9994111.
A- I don't know. I never came across these numbers.
Q- You said you found it necessary to make these printouts of the accused persons' numbers, because there was a series of contacts between the accused persons and witnesses, that's why they requested the printouts?
A- The information was from Rui Jabbi Gassama and Ebrima Marreh.
Q- When you received these printouts, what did you do with them?
A- They were checked.
Q- Did the panel find out whether there was communication between the accused persons and the witnesses?
A- That is not my role.
Q- As the head of the investigation, was it brought to your attention?
A- I could not recall.
Q- Did the investigators find any use for the printouts?
A- That was why the printout was requested.
Q- You said Ebrima Marreh was interrogated by the panel in your evidence-in-chief; were the answers recorded by the panel?
A- Is not to my knowledge; I did not record it.
Q- As the head of investigation team, did you assign anybody to record the answers.
A- I cannot recall.
Q- Did Ebrima Marreh inform the panel that he spoke to any of the accused persons?
A- I did not find out, but it might be.
Q- I am putting to you that none of the accused persons ever spoke to Ebrima Marreh on the telephone.
A- I cannot ascertain.
Q- Ebrima Marreh was arrested on the 19th of November 2009?
A- Yes.
Q- According to exhibit P22, he made three calls after he was arrested.
A-Ebrima Marreh was arrested on the 19th November 2009, in Farafenni. What transpired at Farefenni, I did not know.
Q- Did you find out who PW1 was calling after his arrest on the 19th November 2009?
A- I did not find out.
Q- After the panel's receipt of exhibit P22, did the panel find out who Ebrima Marreh was calling after his arrest on the 19th November 2009?
A- Is not to my knowledge, and not my role.
Q- I put it to you that Ebrima Marreh did not call any of the accused after the 19th November?
A- I cannot ascertain.
Q- According to exhibit P23, Ebrima Marreh had another number 7089477.
A- Yes, exactly.
Q- According to exhibit P22, you have a number listed for the 2nd accused, 7366607.
A- Yes.
Q- Telephone numbers: 7366077, 7366607, and 7766167 do not belong to any of the accused persons?
A- I cannot say anything.
Q- Outside this case, did you know the accused persons?
A- Prior to this case, apart from the 8th accused person, I personally knew the rest of the accused persons.
Q- Do you know whether the accused persons, prior to this, knew each other.
A- I have no idea.
Q- Do you know whether the 1st accused had a working relationship with the 2nd, 3rd and, 4th accused persons.
A- I only know they were all serving members of the Gambia Armed Forces.
Q- Did your investigation reveal that the 1st accused, apart from being a CDS, he was a member of other bodies?
A- That has nothing to do with the investigation.
Q- Do you know that the 1st accused was the FIFA-GFA security officer and the 5th accused was his assistant?
A- I did not know.
Q- Do you know as the FIFA-GFA security officer, the 1st and 2nd accused persons were regularly in contact?
A- I have no idea.
Q- Do you know that the 2nd, 3rd and 4th accused persons served under the 1st accused in the Armed Forces?
A- Yes, I know they served under him.
Q- Do you know that the 2nd accused served in the Armed Forces as Director of Operations and Training?
A- I did not know.
Q- I am putting it to you that the 2nd accused took responsibility as Deputy CDS in the Armed Forces.
A- I am in the NIA; I did not know what had transpired in the Armed Forces.
Q- I am putting to you that when the 2nd accused assumed the responsibility of Deputy CDS, he was in contact with the 1st accused and other Armed Forces.
A- I did not know. The hearing continues today.
To mark World Press Freedom Day, May 3, CPJ is spotlighting 10 emblematic cases in which journalists have been killed with impunity. CPJ is challenging authorities to solve these 10 crimes and send a message that they are committed to reversing the grave problem of impunity in journalist murders.
Ten murders. Not a single conviction.
Yet CPJ research shows that each of these 10 cases can be solved. In many of the cases, specific suspects have been identified; in others, evidence points clearly to potential culprits. In these 10 cases, as in others that CPJ has documented over the past two decades, law enforcement officials have failed to follow leads, interview witnesses, collect sufficient evidence, or bring successful prosecutions.
"What they lack is political will," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. "Solving these cases would start to change the culture of impunity around the world, a condition that produces widespread self-censorship and stifles the global dialogue."
CPJ research shows that nearly 90 percent of journalist murders worldwide go unpunished. The countries named on this list—the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Russia, and Iraq among them—have the world's worst law enforcement records when it comes to deadly violence against the press.
To honor World Press Freedom Day, CPJ calls on authorities to signal an end to the era of impunity by bringing charges and winning convictions in these 10 cases. "These journalists fought injustice while they lived," said Simon. "We are left to continue their struggle now that they are gone."
Cases were selected and ranked by CPJ staff based on their expertise and the organization's extensive research.
Key fact: Sixty-one journalist murders in all have gone unsolved in the Philippines since 1992.
Key fact: Alleged gunman Rustam Makhmudov reportedly bribed immigration officials in order to flee the country.
Lasantha Wickramatunga predicted his own murder in a piece he wrote shortly before his death. "Countless journalists have been harassed, threatened, and killed," he wrote in the article, which was published three days after his killing. "It has been my honor to belong to all those categories and now especially the last." Wickramatunga, editor-in-chief of The Sunday Leader, was a prominent figure in Sri Lankan journalism, someone who challenged the government many times in his 25-year career. As he was driving to work on a busy street outside Colombo on January 8, 2009, eight men on motorcycles attacked him with wooden poles and a metal bar. Authorities have not prosecuted anyone in the case.
Key fact: Nine Sri Lankan journalists have been murdered since 2004. No prosecutions have been brought in any of the cases.
Lebanese journalists who dared to criticize Syria were targeted in a series of bombings in 2005, the same year that former prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri was assassinated. On June 2, 2005, a car bomb in Beirut killed Samir Qassir, one of Lebanon's most fearless journalists. For years, Qassir's outspoken columns in the daily Al-Nahar took on the Syrian government and its Lebanese allies. On December 12, Gebran Tueni, Al-Nahar's managing director and a harsh critic of Syrian policies, was killed by a bomb that targeted his armored vehicle in east Beirut. Tueni's murder came the same day that U.N. investigators implicated Syrian and Lebanese intelligence in the al-Hariri assassination. A subsequent U.N. inquiry into these politically motivated killings has yet to produce tangible results.
Key fact: Lebanese Broadcasting Corp. talk show host May Chidiac was seriously wounded in another car bombing that year.
Key fact: RodrÃguez had told the state attorney general's office that he was being threatened, but no evident action was taken.
Soran Mama Hama worked in the dangerous city of Kirkuk, but it wasn't sectarian strife that brought gunmen to his home on the night of July 21, 2008. It was old-fashioned muckraking journalism. Mama Hama, a reporter for the Sulaymaniyah-based Livin magazine, blew the lid off prostitution in Kirkuk. In what turned out to be his final article, Mama Hama claimed that he had the names of "police brigadiers, many lieutenants, colonels, and many police and security officers" who were clients. Ahmed Mira, Livin's editor-in-chief, told CPJ that the slaying was designed to "silence the free voices in Kirkuk." Kirkuk Police Brig. Jamal Tahir assured CPJ that Mama Hama's murder would get "special attention," but no arrests have been reported.
Key fact: Livin editor Mira was himself the target of a failed assassination plot.
Key fact: When several journalists called Jammeh's comments insensitive, authorities briefly locked them up on "sedition" charges.
Hayatullah Khan embarrassed the government of President Pervez Musharraf by providing some of the first hard evidence that the United States was operating within Pakistani borders. On December 4, 2005, he photographed the remnants of a Hellfire missile that had killed a senior Al-Qaeda commander, Abu Hamza Rabia, in Haisori in North Waziristan. Khan was abducted by five men in a white Toyota pickup the next day and was not seen again for six months. On June 16, 2006, Khan's emaciated, bullet-ridden body, still dressed in the clothes in which he was abducted, was dumped in the town of Miran Shah. The slaying led to an uproar so loud that Musharraf ordered Peshawar High Court Justice Mohammed Reza Khan to carry out an investigation. Justice Khan sent his report to the government in August 2006, but it has never been made public. No arrests have been made.
Key fact: The findings of local government investigations into the killing have also been kept secret.
Elmar Huseynov, editor of the opposition newsweekly Monitor in Baku, had often faced government retaliation for his sharp criticism of President Ilham Aliyev. On March 2, 2005, he was gunned down in the stairwell of his apartment building in a killing that bore the marks of a contract hit. The building's entrance light was broken and telephone lines in the neighborhood were cut. Two years later, a former colleague named Eynulla Fatullayev published an in-depth examination of the unsolved killing, alleging that Huseynov's murder was ordered by high-ranking officials in Baku and carried out by a criminal group.
Key fact: After his piece ran, Fatullayev was jailed on fabricated charges and sentenced to more than eight years in prison.
Zongo, editor of the weekly L'Indépendant, was one of the most prominent investigative journalists in the West African country. In 1998, Zongo was looking into allegations that François Compaoré, brother and special advisor to President Blaise Compaoré, had a role in a recent murder. On December 13, 1998, along a lonely stretch of road south of Ouagadougou, gunmen shot Zongo, his brother, and two companions. The case spurred journalists, politicians, and human rights activists to push for a high-level investigation. In May 1999, an independent commission of inquiry identified six "strong suspects" in the murder—but no one has ever been prosecuted.
Key fact: An indictment against a presidential guard regiment officer, the only charge ever brought in the case, was dropped without explanation.
Through its Global Campaign Against Impunity, CPJ is leading efforts to seek justice in journalist murders and improve the overall press freedom climate. This month, CPJ convened an international summit on the issue of impunity, which brought together leading advocates at Columbia University. In conjunction with the summit, CPJ released its annual Impunity Index, a list of countries where journalist are killed regularly and governments fail to solve the crimes.
CPJ's work on impunity is underwritten by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
The treason trial involving the former Chief of Defence Staff Lt. General Lang Tombong Tamba and seven others continued yesterday 28th April 2010 with the testimonies of the lead investigator and three officials of the GSM companies, Gamcel, Comuim and Qcell.
The lead investigator, designated as the prosecution's fifteenth witness (PW15), whose name was not disclosed due to security reasons, told the court that: "It happened on the 19th November 2009. One Ebrima Bojang was arrested at Farafenni Military Camp in the North Bank Region, and brought to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters."
"According to one Lt. Colonel Yerro Jallow, Commanding Officer at Farafenni Camp, one Ebrima was caught spying security installations like 'sangas' - these are security stations or points were security routine goes in and out.
"During interrogation at Farafenni Barracks, Ebrima informed officers that he was sent by the former Inspector General of Police, Ensa Badjie, the present Director General of NIA, former Director of Operation police, Mr. Jallow, the then Crime Management Co-ordinator, now the Inspector General of Police, Yankuba Sonko. In line with the above, a panel was put in place to investigate the allegation."
He said that on the 21st of November, Ebrima was invited by the panel to shed light on the issue, adding that during questioning, he (Ebrima) informed the panel that he lied to the authorities at Farafenni. He added that Ebrima told the panel that he was sent to Farafenni Barracks to spy by the former Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. General Lang Tombong Tamba, and the former Deputy Inspector General of Police, Modou Gaye.
He further adduced that Ebrima went further to state that apart from Ngorr Secka, the 6th accused person, all the accused persons attended a series of meetings at the residence of Lang Tombong Tamba.
He said Ebrima told the panel that the purpose of the meetings was to overthrow the democratically-elected government of Yayha Jammeh. He said this statement was corroborated by Rui Jabbi Kassama during investigations.
The witness said, according to Ebrima he knew the former CDS when he was in active service, and that he visited him at his Kololi residence.
"We effected the arrest of the suspects except Ngorr Secka," he told the court.
Still testifying, he informed the court that "after the arrest of the accused persons, they were interrogated and cautionary statements were obtained from them and a case file was prepared." He added that during investigation, they learnt of the arrest and detention of Rui Jabbi Kassama in Guinea Bissau.
"The accused persons were confronted with Ebrima and they denied knowing about the coup, and said they had nothing to do with Rui Jabbi Gassama. During their interrogation at the NIA, the 6th accused was not arrested. The contact numbers of the suspects were taken, including witnesses, and their contact numbers were short-listed by me. I wrote them and at the end I signed, including the witnesses," he stated.
The DPP rose and asked the witness whether he can recognise the list of numbers, and he replied 'Yes'. The DPP subsequently applied to tender the said list of numbers as an exhibit, which was marked as exhibit P23 without any objection from the defence team.
The witness continued, informing the court that Ebrima insisted that he was sent by the former CDS, Lang Tombong Tamba, and the former deputy IGP Modou Gaye.
"Based on this information, on the 15th of December 2009, I was selected to be part of the team of investigators that went to
Asked by the DPP as to who Kukio Samba Sanyang is, he replied that "Kukio Samba Sanyang was the ring leader of the 1981 abortive coup attempt in the
PW15 also told the court that "according to intelligence, Kukoi is presently residing at Thies in Senegal and is still engaged on planning a coup to overthrow the democratically elected government of The Gambia together with Gambian dissidents and mercenaries from the sub region, notably Liberia where Kukoi was a close aide to the former President of Liberia, Charles Taylor."
"On our arrival at Guinea Bissau on the 16th of December 2009, we visited our embassy where we were accompanied by one Lieutenant Colonel Sano and Mr. Suwa, the Financial Attaché at the Gambian Embassy in Guinea Bissau, and we met Rui Jabbi Kassama at a detention centre in
"Lt Colonel Sano handed over a copy of the Daily Observer newspaper with the headline "Major Shake Up In The Army", and told them the said copy of the Daily Observer was found in the possession of Rui Jabbi Kassama at his residence in
According to PW15, Rui Jabbi confirmed to them that he brought the copy from the
At that juncture, the DPP again applied to tender the said copy of the Daily Observer newspaper as an exhibit. It was shown to the witness which the witness identified, saying it includes the pictures of Lang Tombong Tamba, BO Badjie, 3rd 4th 5th and one Yankuba Drammeh.
The copy of the Daily Observer was marked by the trial judge Justice Amandi as exhibit P24 without any objection from the defence team.
PW15 further said that Rui Jabbi Kassama (PW2) was interrogated, and said he once received a call from one Assan, working at the Gambian Embassy in Bissau, and that the said caller requested for an appointment at Samaritan Restaurant in Bissau.
He said, according to Rui Jabbi Kassama, he charged the said Assan 14,000 Euros for a kilo of cocaine and Assan built confidence in him.
Senior defence counsel PC Secka rose and objected to the statement made by the witness, noting that what the witness is saying had already been said by Rui Kassama himself, during his testimony. As he put it, "we cannot have a witness in this court repeat what others said."
DPP Chenge intervened, and said that the witness was saying the role he played.
PW15 continued, and told the court that they asked Mr Suwa whether there is any photo album at the Embassy, to know who this Assan was.
PW15 said Rui told them about arms transaction with Assan in respect of a coup plot, adding that was the reason they wanted to know who is this Assan.
"We asked Suwa at the embassy, but he said they don't have any Assan, and then we requested him to bring the photo album at the embassy, and the album was brought by one Malick Jobarteh. We went through the album page by page, and he (Rui) pointed at somebody as Assan. Together with one member of the panel, we looked at the photo and found out that the Assan was Ngorr Secka, former deputy head of mission at the Gambian Embassy in
He said this information was sent to his colleagues, back in the
Asked by the DPP, as to where was Ngorr Secka at the time of the investigation in
He said Rui also told them that the person who was moving with Ngorr Secka at the time was identified as Kabirou Saidy (PW3), also working at the Gambian Embassy in
He said Kabirou Saidy was questioned about his trips with Ngorr Secka to the Samaritan Restaurant, and he admitted that he had been accompanying Ngorr Secka on several occasions. PW15 added that statements were obtained from Kabirou Saidy.
At this stage, the hearing was adjourned for continuation today.
Testimony Of GSM Staff
Officials of three GSM companies namely, Na Ceesay Maraneh-Kurang of Gamcel, Lamin Drammeh of Comuim and Lasana Mark Tunkara of Qcell yesterday testified in the treason trial of former Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. General Lang Tombong Tamba and seven others, at the High Court in Banjul.
Testifying before Justice Amadi, Mrs. Maraneh-Kurang of Gamcel told the court that she is the Director of IT at Gamcel.
According to her, Gamcel received a request from the NIA to make a printout of nine phone numbers. "We made a printout from the client computers attached to the server," she added. She revealed that they have ten computers that make printouts, and all are in good working condition.
"We have our server connected to the switching system and information is collected by the server from the switch," Mrs. Maraneh informed the court.
According to the witness, what is collected from the server are calls made by their subscribers.
On how often Gamcel makes a printout, she said whenever the investigating authorities requested for a printout.
The requested printout was shown to the witness, which she identified in court, and it was marked as an exhibit without any objection from the defence team.
Next to testify was Lamin Drammeh of Comium, who told the court that he is the Technical Manager. He said they received a request from the NIA concerning the call records of three Comuim numbers.
"We printed the printout of calls recorded, as requested by the NIA," he told the court.
Mr. Drammeh further testified that they used a computer, which is in a good working condition, to make the printout.
"The information is fed from the main switch to the computer," he told the court. The call data records are stored on the switch, and from the switch to the computer.
"We make a printout when we have an official request from the NIA," Mr. Drammeh further informed the court. He identified the Comium printout in court, which was tendered as an exhibit P12 following the application made by the DPP, which was not objected to by the defence team.
This witness was not cross-examined by the defence counsel S M Tambedou and Pap Cheyassin Secka.
In his testimony, Lassana Mark Tunkara of Qcell told the court that he is the Senior Manager Customer Care.
According to Tunkara, Qcell received a request from the NIA to provide a printout of two pre-paid mobile numbers. Asked by the DPP, as to whether he knows the holders of the two mobile phones, he replied in the negative.
"We made the printout as requested, and gave it to the NIA," he stated, and noted that the printouts were from computers in a good working condition.
"The information is fed into the computer when a subscriber makes a call, which is recorded by the server service dropping point."
"We normally make a printout when a subscriber makes a request with a police report for investigation that his mobile is lost or stolen," he added.
After he had recognised the Qcell printout in court, the DPP applied to tender it as an exhibit, marked P22 (Qcell) without any objection from all the defence counsel.
Cross-examination of PW12 by defence counsel SM Tambedou
Q- There is some marking, highlighting and colouring on some of these printouts; did you put the highlight there?
A- I did not put the highlight there.
Q- Did anybody from Gamcel do it?
A- No
Q- Is call forwarding on Africell the same as that of Gamcel?
A- Yes.
Q- If caller A makes a call to caller B and caller B forwards to number C, what printout would caller A show?
A- Caller B.
Q- Please take out printout number 9966206 and let's go to 13th November 2009. You see the number 7854500; what does that information mean?
A- It means on 13th November 2009, number 9966206 received a call from 7854500.
Q- What does the word default mean?
A- Means it is a received call.
Q- It is possible for the printout to show a call to a subscriber who is not in the country?
A- Yes.
Q- It is when a subscriber is roaming?
A- Yes, a subscriber who is roaming, and subscribes on information.
Q- Is it possible on a prepaid telephone number?
A- Yes.
Q- The call on 13th November 2009; number 7854500 to 9966206; what is the minimum and the maximum one can record a message on the Gamcel network?
A- Minimum is one second and the maximum is 180 seconds.
Q- The call on the 13th November 2009 is for how long?
A- It's for 49 seconds.
Q- That call may be a recording on an answering machine?
A- Yes.
Cross examination of PW12 by defence counsel Hawa Sisay Sabally.
Q- Did you get the consent of your subscriber who holds 9979999 to release the printout in respect of that number?
A- No.
Q- Was that subscriber at the time informed by Gamcel that the printout of that number had been released to an investigator?
A- No.
Q- It is correct that the holder of that number is post- paid?
A- Yes.
Q- Was there an order from the court or was there an agreement between Gamcel and investigators to give out a printout to them?
A- No.
Q- Your company owes confidentiality to all subscribers?
A- Yes.
Q- Apart from the printout, can you record conversations?
A- I do not know.
Cross examination of PW13 by defence counsel Hawa Sisay Sabally.
Q- Among the printout you gave out was the number 6699999, is that correct?
A- Yes.
Q- That is a post-paid number?
A- Yes.
Q- Did the subscriber ask to release the said printout to the NIA?
A- No.
Q- Did you as a company inform the subscriber that you are going to release the printout?
A- No.
Cross examination of PW14 by defence counsel SM Tambedou.
Q- Take a look at the printout number 3604588 on page 2 where it says outgoing call. Can you explain?
A- The first call column is the number calling, the second column is the number receiving, the third column is the duration of the call, the fourth column is the units used, the fifth column is the bonus minute remaining, the sixth column indicates the date, year and time.
Q- The number 3604588 made four calls on the 19th November 2009 between 10.50 am and 11.11 am?
A- Yes.
Q- The number 3604588 received three calls from 9979977 and all on 19th November 2009 between 11.03 am and 11.15 am?
A- Yes.
source:www.thepoint.gm
Former Inspector General of Police Ensa Badjie, alias Jesus, and two other army officers namely, Major Kuluteh Manneh and Lieutenant Colonel Mam Matarr Secka, yesterday appeared at the High Court in
The 30 counts of criminal offences range from conspiracy, committing the offence of sedition, abuse of office, official corruption to destroying evidence.
All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against them.
The first accused person, Ensa Badjie, told the court that since their arrest on 2nd March 2010, they have been remanded in custody, and that they did not have access to their family members and legal counsel.
He then appealed to the court to enable them to have access to their family members, so that they can arrange legal counsel for them.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Richard N. Chenge, said he had no objection to the application made by the accused person, since it is their constitutional right to have legal representation.
However, he applied for the accused persons to be remanded in custody, which was accordingly granted by the court.
The case was adjourned to Monday 3rd May 2010 for hearing.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, the former Executive Director of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA), Ibrahim Bun Sanneh, former Deputy Director Karamo Bojang, Ousman Sanneh former Director of Operations at NDEA, Marie Sanneh and Alieu Samba, were on the same day also arraigned before Justice Amadi at the High Court.
They are charged with 12 counts of criminal offences, ranging from conspiracy to commit a felony, theft, aiding and abetting, unlawful possession of fire arm, unlawful possession of live ammunitions, to concealment and destroying evidence.
All the accused persons, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, were subsequently remanded in custody following an application made to the court by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Richard N. Chenge.
The accused persons applied to be given access to their family members and legal representation.
The case was adjourned to Tuesday 4th May 2010 for hearing.
According to his counterpart, one Ousman Dem of Basse in URR, he met with the late Sulayman Jallow on the way, while they were both walking, going towards Lamin Koto.
He said the deceased told him that he walked from Barra to Farrafenni, where he spent the night, and continued on the following day until they met, and walked together.
They were going towards Lamin Koto, when he (the deceased) collapsed between the villages of Bulbuku and Jarumeh Koto in Central River Region North, Dem added.
He was then rushed to Janjanbureh dispensary where he was pronounced clinically dead, he further revealed.
According to his particulars, Sulayman Jallow was born on 24th January 1973 in a community, called Pickenn in Senegal.
Meanwhile, at the time of going to press, the body of the deceased was being taken to Bansang Hospital.
According to our sources, he was removed from his post on Friday.
However, no official reason(s) has been announced as to the reason for his removal from office.
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CONTACTS: Tom Rhodes: trhodes@cpj.org | Mohamed Keita: mkeita@cpj.org
Sent by Muhammed Keita-CPJ
Three journalists killed in Nigeria
New York, April 26, 2010—Three Nigerian journalists were killed in two separate incidents over the weekend. Muslim rioters killed two reporters working with a local Christian newspaper on Saturday, according to local journalists and news reports. Also on Saturday, court reporter Edo Sule Ugbagwu, 42, from the private daily The Nation was shot dead at his home by two gunmen, according to local journalists.
"Reporting in Nigeria has become an increasingly hazardous profession as the list of unsolved journalist murders in the country continues to grow," said CPJ's Africa Program Coordinator Tom Rhodes . "CPJ urges local authorities to double their efforts and bring the perpetrators of these murders to justice."
In the city of Jos in the restive central Plateau state, a mob of Muslim rioters reacting to the discovery of an allegedly Muslim corpse found near a church killed Deputy Editor Nathan S. Dabak, 36, and reporter Sunday Gyang Bwede, 39, of Church of Christ in Nigeria-owned monthly The Light Bearer, according to local news reports. Journalists have been targeted amid recent deadly outbreaks of sectarian violence in the area.
The journalists were riding a motorcycle on their way interview a local politician, Member of Parliament Bitrus Kaze, when they were stabbed by rioters on Saturday morning, their editor-in-chief, Gyarta Pofi, told CPJ. The Associated Press reported that they were covering the unrest. The two men were among five people killed in the riots, according to local journalists, and CPJ was unable to determine immediately whether they were specifically targeted.
Dabak and Bwede began working with The Light Bearer May 2009, according to Pofi. Bwede was survived by a wife and a son, she said.
In the shooting incident, Ugbagwu's brother, Okhlaho Ugbagwu, told reporters that two armed gunmen entered their house in a Lagos suburb demanding money. The gunmen shot Ugbagwu twice and then drove off in a red Honda without taking anything, his brother told local journalists.
Lagos State Police spokesman Frank Mba told reporters that the police commissioner was conducting a "wholesale investigation" into the shooting. Mba added that it was too early to determine whether the case was an assassination or a violent robbery. The Nation's Deputy Editor Lawal Ogienagbon said Ugbagwu had not been working on any sensitive stories leading up to his death. The last assignment he had covered was a press conference organized by the Nigerian Bar Association, colleagues told CPJ. Ugbagwu had previously worked for the now defunct Comet newspaper and joined The Nation in July 2006.
Ubabgwu was the third journalist killed in the Lagos suburbs in less than two years. A member of This Day's editorial board, Paul Abayomi Ogundeji, was shot dead in August 2008 and political editor Bayo Ohu was shot at his home in September 2009. No one has yet been convicted of either crime.
URL > http://cpj.org/2010/04/three-journalists-killed-in-nigeria.php
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
