Arona Tine, who is accused of killing a Bureau de Change employee, admitted to the prosecution witness testifying Tuesday in a Banjul High Court that he stabbed himself because he believed the victim had passed away.

Arona Tine, a citizen of Senegal, is accused of killing Fatoumata Kargbo, a worker at the Hm Bureau Exchange de Change in Westfied.

In his main evidence, Counsel Drammeh kept leading Landing Jallow (PW 6), a CID officer from Serekunda West station.

Officer Jallow stated that he was notified that the accused was being admitted to the Ndemban Clinic when he was questioned by Counsel Drammeh regarding his interactions with the accused following the recovery of the dress from the crime scene. He claimed to have gone to the clinic. He identified himself as an officer from Serekunda West station who was at the clinic to visit the accused person when he arrived and encountered some PIU officers there. He continued by saying the accused was lying down when he was let inside the facility.

The defendant identified himself as Arona Tine from Wulinkama and claimed to be an electrician and Senegalese, according to him. He introduced himself as Officer Jallow from Serekunda West station and stated he was there to gather information about him (the defendant).

He claimed to have had a discussion regarding what transpired with the accused, but before the accused (Tine) could respond, he (the accused) inquired about the deceased and her state of life. He said he didn’t inform the accused that the deceased was dead because of the circumstances in which he found the accused.

In his testimony, he said that he questioned Tene, the accused, about why he had stabbed himself. Because he believed the deceased to be dead, the accused admitted to stabbing himself and voiced worry about the deceased.

He continued by saying that the accused had informed him that he had left his wallet at the Bureau de Change. According to him, the accused informed him that his suitcase had 110,000 CFA and that he intended to send 100,000 CFA to Senegal. Officer Jallow stated that he had to halt the interrogation due to the accused’s condition, but he had already told him that he had the bag and that the quantity he was referring to was not in it.

CID Jallow went on to testify that he continued to communicate with the accused after being released from the hospital. He added that the accused and he later met at the Serekunda West Station, where Divisional Crime Officer D.C.O. Sonko, as well as an independent witness, JP officer Ebrima Janneh, were present. He claimed that they spoke Wollof to each other.

In his testimony, Officer Jallow stated that he initially identified himself as Detective Sergeant Landing Jallow before getting a statement from the defendant. He continued by saying that he informed the accused that he would record his account of the events. He claimed to have read the warning language to him and understood it from the Wollof.

He continued by saying that the accused had given him a cautionary statement in which they described what had happened. The accused was then given a second reading of the statement for confirmation, and he thumb printed it.

The witness positively responded that he would know the statement by his handwriting, phone number, and signature when Counsel F. Drammeh questioned if he would recognize it if it was shown to him.

The witness verified that the statement he had received from the accused was the same one that Counsel F. Drammeh had given him when he brought it over for identification.

Defense attorney O. Susso objected to the prosecution’s request to submit the defendant’s statements, claiming that his client had been threatened and intimidated and that this raised doubts about the statements’ voluntariness.

Attorney O. Susso said that the accused had provided information indicating that he had been threatened and coerced by Landing Jallow (PW6) and his associates to make the statements in the absence of an impartial witness.

In order to prove the voluntariness of the statement, attorney O. Susso requested a voir dire, which Justice Jaiteh allowed.

Witness CID Landing Jallow swore to tell the truth during the voir dire. He identified himself as Latrikunda Sabiji resident Sergeant Landing Jallow during his statement, adding that he had been a police officer for thirteen years.

He claimed in his evidence to have known the accused individual and to have remembered that he had been held in the Serekunda West station following his release. He claimed to have told the accused that he intended to get his statement once the accused was taken out of the cell in which he was being held.

Jallow stated in his testimony that he spoke with the accused at noon while being accompanied by Corporal Faye, Chief Inspector Elizabeth Silver, DCO Sonko, CIP Marenah, and an impartial witness (Ebrima Janneh).

Jallow further stated in his testimony that he gave the accused his full name, read him the warning language, and explained it in Wollof. Jallow stated he had just talked about what happened when questioned if he had said anything more than the warning language to get the accused to provide the taped statement.

Jallow characterized the room and seating arrangement for the statement procedure as being in the minimum-sized chamber of the CID officer and furnished with four tables. Elizabeth Silver was placed beside him as he sat in the far right corner facing the accused throughout the taking of the statement.

Jallow expressed confidence that, given his handwriting, number, and signature, he would be able to identify the statement if it were presented to him. Following that, Counsel F. Drammeh gave the witness the statements to identify, and the witness attested to the statements being those that had been taken from the accused.

In order for Attorney O. Susso to cross-examine the witness during the voir dire, the case was postponed until October 7.