I saw him shoot: Witness holds ground in explosive Berending-Gunjur murder trial

In a dramatic courtroom exchange yesterday, Pa-boy Jammeh, the first prosecution witness in the ongoing murder trial involving accused person Baboucarr Drammeh stood by his testimony, insisting he saw the accused reload a rifle and shoot the victim, Buba Jammeh, during the incident between Berending and Gunjur. 

The accused is facing counts of murder and attempted murder, among others, before Justice Omar Cham of the High Court in Banjul.

The witness was subjected to a lengthy and probing cross-examination by defence counsel Lamin L.S. Camara, who represents the accused. Camara challenged the credibility of the witness’s account, pressing him on whether he had seen Baboucarr Drammeh before and after the alleged shooting.

“I saw the accused person at Berending,” the witness responded firmly.

Counsel Camara then put it to the witness that he had not seen the accused shoot anyone on 16 March 2019. The witness rejected the suggestion outright, replying: “That is not true.”

Asked by Camara to describe the weapon allegedly used, the witness said it was a hunting gun. When further questioned on whether it was a manufactured model or one made by a blacksmith, the witness replied: “I saw a gun with the accused person, however, I can’t differentiate it.”

Camara challenged the witness’s account, asking: “You want the court to believe that in the middle of a fight, you were able to see the accused person come from the grass?” The witness responded affirmatively: “Yes, because it happened. I saw him while he was shooting.”

Continuing his line of questioning, Camara asked: “Jammeh, you want the court to believe that while you were involved in a fight with Modou Tamba and others were fighting too, you saw the accused person reload the rifle and shoot Buba Tamba?” The witness replied: “Yes, I saw the accused person when he was reloading the gun and shot Buba Drammeh.”

Counsel Camara then asked whether the witness was near Buba Jammeh when he allegedly collapsed. The witness responded: “I was not near him, but we were not far from each other.”

Pressed further on the nature of the confrontation, Camara asked whether many people sustained injuries from both sides. The witness replied: “On our side, many people sustained injuries.” Camara added: “And many people ran away after the gun was fired?” The witness confirmed: “Yes, that’s true.”

Asked whether he saw the gun reportedly used in the shooting incident at the scene, the witness said: “I saw the gun with Buba Drammeh, and he disappeared with the gun.”

Camara then put it to the witness: “It’s your own people that accidentally shot Buba Drammeh?” The witness rejected the claim: “That’s not true. None of our people came with a gun. I saw the accused person loading the gun.”

Further pressed, Camara said: “It is your own people, Mr Jammeh, who went to the site armed with cutlasses against the order of the police?” The witness replied: “That is not true.”

When asked whether he had a problem with the accused’s family, the witness admitted: “Yes, something transpired between us.”

Asked about his relationship to Buba Jammeh, the witness replied: “He is a father to me.” Camara followed up: “You were deeply hurt by his passing?” The witness responded: “Yes, very much.” Camara continued: “And you want to see someone punished for it?” The witness said: “Yes, I want someone who caused his death to be punished.”

Camara asked whether the witness accompanied Buba to the hospital after he was picked up from the scene. The witness replied in the negative. Asked who evacuated Buba, Camara inquired whether it was family members and the police. The witness responded: “Yes, it was the police and the family members, and one of them was Ba Buba Jatta.”

When asked how long it took for the police to arrive at the scene after the shooting, the witness said: “It didn’t take too long, but I can’t say the exact time.”

Camara also questioned whether the land dispute between the witness’s family and the Jammeh Kunda was still ongoing. The witness replied: “Yes, it’s still going on to this day.” Asked whether he saw the accused person as part of the problem, the witness concluded: “Yes, he is the head of the problem.”

Source: The Point