Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – A Gambian army officer who witnessed the September 2023 shooting of police officers at the Sukuta-Jabang traffic light has finally testified in court, breaking months of silence and raising questions over why he was never summoned by prosecutors.

Omar S. Jallow, a firearm instructor with the Gambia Armed Forces, appeared before the High Court on Monday after defense lawyer Lamin J. Darboe successfully applied to call him as a witness. Jallow told the court he was present at the scene of the fatal shooting on September 13, 2023, and described key moments of the attack.

His testimony has sparked fresh debate over the prosecution’s handling of the case, which has drawn nationwide scrutiny.

“We heard gunshots and saw officers fall.”

Jallow told the court that he and two fellow soldiers, Ismaila and Bakary Jarju, had stopped at the Sukuta-Jabang traffic light to buy food after returning from Palma Rima. While they were eating nearby, they heard gunfire.

“I saw one officer fall, and as another officer tried to respond, he was also shot,” Jallow recalled. “A PIU [Police Intervention Unit] female officer then tried to approach but was shot too. The shooter then fled toward Sukuta. I tried to follow him briefly but stopped because I was unarmed.”

Jallow said he and his colleagues later helped secure the scene and recovered bullet casings, which his colleague Bakary Jarju found.

The testimony surprised many in court—not for its substance, but for the delay in presenting it.

When asked by defense counsel why he was not called by the prosecution, Jallow replied, “I feel bad. Those officers were my comrades. I expected to be called, but I wasn’t.”

He testified that he had been contacted by the Ministry of Justice, where he confirmed his earlier written statement and was told he would be called to testify—but nothing materialized until the defense intervened.

“Did you feel the police took you seriously?” defense lawyer Adama Sillah asked.

“If they had called me to testify, I would have thought so,” Jallow replied.

Jallow confirmed he had his phone with him during the shooting. Defense lawyer Darboe applied for the court to compel Africell to produce his call logs to establish his location and communication timeline.

The court granted the application, and Africell data analyst Abubacarr Jatta submitted the call records, which were admitted as Exhibit D36 despite objections from Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) A.M. Yusuf. Justice Ebrima Jaiteh ruled the evidence was relevant.

Jallow’s police statement, recorded shortly after the shooting, was also admitted as Exhibit DD5.

“He’s an expert.”

Jallow described the shooter as dressed in a traditional “haftan” and said his movements appeared “accurate” and “professional.”

“He’s an expert,” Jallow said when asked if the shooter seemed trained. “From the way he fired, I could tell he was mature and experienced.”

However, Jallow admitted that he never saw the shooter’s face and could not identify him in court. He also stated there were no CCTV cameras in sight, but he confirmed hearing multiple shots and seeing two officers fall.

When asked why he didn’t pick up a fallen officer’s AK-47 rifle to pursue the shooter, Jallow said he was in “battle shock,” adding, “Military ideas ran away from me.”

Tense Cross-Examination

Under cross-examination, DPP Yusuf questioned Jallow’s conclusion about the shooter’s expertise, noting the close range of the attack.

“He was close enough to the second officer that they were struggling,” the DPP pointed out.

Jallow, however, stood by his assessment: “Even with that, he was an expert.”

He also said he had not seen any additional suspects at the scene, contradicting earlier public reports suggesting multiple attackers. He further denied seeing any female suspect, dismissing past speculation.

At the close of proceedings, defense lawyer Darboe informed the court that the next defense witness is currently outside the country and requested permission for them to testify via video link. The court granted the request.

Justice Jaiteh then adjourned the trial to October 6, 2025, for continuation.