At the conclusion of the First Prosecution Witness’s (PW1) evidence in the Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights murder case’s voir dire (trial within a trial), the prosecution called on the Second Prosecution Witness (PW2) to testify. A businessman from Sukuta named Alieu Cham testified in front of Honorable Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the High Court of the Gambia.

Following Police Investigator Ebou Sowe’s testimony and the presentation of the Police Anti-Crime Unit’s September 13, 2023 journal, Mr. Cham made his appearance.
Following the review of the diary by the legal representatives of Ousainou Bojang, the first accused, and Amie Bojang, the second accused, Counsel LK Mboge attempted to present the Police Anti-Crime Unit station diary pertaining to the period of September 13, 2023, to September 23, 2023.

Counsel LK Mboge addressed the court, saying, “And I humbly apply for the photocopies of the said pages to be substituted to the original.”

During the trial, the witness was questioned by Attorney LK Mboge about Alieu Cham, the Independent Witness, being present in the Station journal on September 13, 2023.
Mr. Sowe told the court that on that particular date, Alieu Cham’s name was not entered in the Station journal.

“Is it accurate to state that every civilian entering the Anti Crime Station has a reservation in the dairy?” Attorney Mboge questioned the witness.

The witness informed the court, “That is not correct, my lord.”

“Are you able to explain to the court what Alieu Cham was doing on September 15, 2023, at the Anti Crime Unit?” Attorney Mboge questioned the witness.
“He (Alieu Cham) informed me that he had come on a mission, and on September 23, 2023, I got in touch with him after realizing that I had misquoted the Anti-terrorist Act instead of the Criminal Code in a section of the voluntary statement that specifically prohibited acts of terrorism. The same Independent Witness, Alieu Cham, was then invited to return, which is why he returned on September 23, 2023, the witness informed the court.

The witness refuted claims made by Counsel LK Mboge that he had copied Ousainou Bojang’s voluntary statement.
“Have you realized that the cautionary statement of the accused that you copied on September 15 was the same statement that you obtained on September 14 without the presence of an independent witness?” As Attorney LK Mboge informed the witness.

“The witness emphasized that they have never copied any statement.”

The Independent Witness (PW2), Alieu Cham, was then called before the court to testify on the proceedings. Cham told the court that during his visit to the Police Anti Crime Unit in September 2023, he had recognized both Ousainou Bojang, the first accused, and Ebou Sowe, the first accused.

As a businessman, I had a problem with Esther, a white woman who is one of my clients. In 2021, she purchased a vehicle from me. Subsequently, a Gambian guy altered all the car’s paperwork to reflect his name. Esther then brought him to the Anti-Crime, where I was introduced as the automobile salesman. I was at the Anti-Crime because of that,” Mr. Cham stated to the court.

Mr. Cham also told the court that as he was waiting for the person who had phoned him at the Anti-Crime complex, he was sitting under a mango tree when Ebou Sowe discovered him and told him they had a case and needed an impartial witness.
“When I questioned how, he told me that he had to take a statement from someone. Mr. Cham told the court, “He said that because neither he nor I knew that individual, I may have freely come there for him to take the statement.

He was then questioned on whether or not the statement had been taken by AM Yusuf, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

In a positive response, Mr. Cham continued by outlining the process by which the statement was collected.

“I moved a few meters from where I was seated to enter the office. The person who invited me urged me to seat when I came inside. In four or five minutes after I sat down, I noticed they had brought someone. I was seated with Ousainou, the first accused, facing me when they brought him in. When the person who brought me asked Ousainou if he knew me, he said that he didn’t.

He introduced me there to serve as both of their witnesses, saying to Ousainou that he doesn’t know me either. Mr. Cham informed the court that the individual preparing the statement was conversing with Ousainou in Wolof and that Ousainou occasionally responded in Mandinka.
The case was then postponed to February 12, 2024 by Hon. Justice Jaiteh.