In the trial of the suspected Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights Shooter, Defense Attorney Lamin J. Darboe cross-examined Second Prosecution Witness (PW2) Bakary R. Jarju on Monday.

Jarju, a Gambia Armed Forces soldier, said in his testimony that on the day of the shooting event, he, Omar Jallow, and Ismaila Bojang went to the Senegambia beach for training. He claimed that they had been chosen to spend a month in Turkey receiving specialized training, which they did with success and returned there on October 23, 2023.

A Gambia Armed Forces man named Bakary R. Jarju testified in court as an eyewitness to the September 12, 2023, shooting event.

Bakary R. Jarju said during cross-examination that Omar S. Jallow was a higher ranking official than him and Ismaila Bojang.

How could they send their superior to buy Afra on their behalf, wondered the Defense Attorney. “Sending your senior, especially if they want to help you, is never a crime in the military,” PW2 retorted. Additionally, Jarju admitted to the court that he was unable to precisely recall the kind of structure at the Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights on whose veranda they were sitting. According to him, no one was on the balcony and it wasn’t the side where the PIU officers who were shot were.

Subsequently, Attorney Lamin J. Darboe questioned the witness about whether the veranda they were sitting beneath was next to the PIU officers who were shot.

The police officers were essentially seated on the concrete dividing the two roadways there, so it wasn’t the same side. He said the court, “We were seated under a veranda that connected Yundum and Sukuta.

When questioned by Attorney Lamin J. Darboe, PW2 admitted to the court that he had no idea where the gunman originated.

How long does it take the second officer to rush the shooter for the AK-47 after the officer holding the AK-47 was shot? Attorney Lamin J. Darboe enquired.

The witness said in court that there was a brief rush for the AK-47.

Counsel Lamin J. Darboe informed the witness, “You were just staring at them without doing anything when they were scrambling for the AK-47.”

“All I could hear at this time was the gunfire. I had no idea what was going on. I believed it to be a careless dismissal. Because it is military protocol to delay going to the scene of a gunshot,” PW2 said the court.

The witness was questioned whether he believed that the second bullet was similarly the result of a careless discharge by attorney Lamin J. Darboe. The witness gave a negative response.

In addition, the witness informed the court that he was unable to remember the time between the two gunshots he heard.

The witness also said in his testimony that after shooting the two police officers, the gunman retreated and shot the female cop.

The witness also informed the court that he knew the gunshot was coming from a handgun when it was fired. The witness claimed to be able to distinguish between gun sounds.

The witness informed the court that he was unable to attest to the fact that all handguns had the identical sound.

Attorney Lamin J. Darboe urged the witness to play an AK-47 in front of the court.

“No, I can’t. Even though pam-pam sounds like fireworks, it can also be compared to an AK-47,” he said.
Attorney Lamin J. Darboe questioned the witness about who the gunman was shooting at as they were pursuing him.

The witness gave a negative response, telling the judge that he witnessed the gunman turn and start firing before telling PW1 Ismaila Bojang to hide.
The witness was questioned by attorney Lamin J. Darboe where their colleague Omar S. Jallow was at that moment.

The witness said that since he was focused on the gunman, he was unable to determine Omar S. Jallow’s location.

“Well, how many shots did he [the gunman] fire?” Attorney Lamin J. Darboe enquired.

“Counting shots under pressure is difficult, but I can count to six.” The witness testified in court that he fired five times: once at the officer brandishing the AK-47, once at the second officer, once at the third officer, who happened to be a female officer, once at the roundabout, once at the junction where he turned and fired, and once more after a short distance.

How many rounds can a typical handgun hold, in your opinion? Attorney Lamin J. Darboe enquired.

“Pistols have distinct features and require distinct rounds.” The witness informed the judge, “I can only know if I see the mark; other than that, I don’t know.”

“Did you have the responsibility of gathering evidence at a crime scene as a military officer?” Attorney Lamin J. Darboe enquired.
“I swore to defend people’s lives and property, as well as our nation’s territorial integrity. I gathered the evidence because of this, the witness said.

The witness confirmed to the court he picked one empty bullet case from the scene, while Ismaila Bojang (PW1) also picked one empty bullet case.

The witness told the court that when he picked the empty bullet cases, he first confirmed to know whether it was a live round.

Counsel Lamin J. Darboe asked the witness whether he handed over the empty bullet cases to someone else.

The witness told the court that he surrendered them to Ismaila Bojang (PW1) who then surrendered them to one Mr. Sowe.

Counsel Lamin J. Darboe then requested the witness’s testimony and asked him (the witness) to read from the second paragraph.
The witness then read that he surrendered the empty bullet cases to one Mr. Sowe.

“It seems that your statement is inaccurate,” inquired Counsel Lamin J. Darboe.

“No, because we are all soldiers and needed to confirm. I didn’t hand it over to Mr. Sowe because he approached me to hand over the empty bullet case. But I told him that I did not know him. So one PIU Officer came to me and told me that the man is an Officer and I told Omar the PIU Officer said the guy is an officer and that was how he handed over the empty bullet cases to him (Mr. Sowe) after confirming that he was an Officer,” the witness told the court.

Hon. Justice Ebrima Jaiteh then informed the court that the time is up, and the case was adjourned to the 13th of November 2023 for continuation.

Background of the Case

On September 21, 2023, Ousainou and Amie Bojang made their initial appearance before Principal Magistrate Omar Jabang of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court, facing charges related to the shooting incident at Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights, which resulted in the tragic deaths of two PIU officers and severe injury to another on September 12, 2023.

Initially, the police had lodged four charges against the accused, including two murder charges, an act of terrorism charge, and an accessory after the fact to murder charge. Subsequently, Principal Magistrate Omar Jabang transferred the murder trial to the Special Criminal Division of the High Court of The Gambia.
On October 12, 2023, the case was presented before Hon. Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the High Court of The Gambia.

On October 19, 2023, the State brought six charges against Ousainou Bojang, the prime suspect in the deaths of two Police Intervention Unit (PIU) officers, and a single charge against his elder sister, Amie Bojang.

On October 24, 2023, both Ousainou Bojang and Amie Bojang entered pleas of not guilty to the charges. Subsequently, the state presented its first prosecution witness.

The case has been adjourned to November 7, 2023, for the cross-examination of the first prosecution witness and the continuation of the hearing.