Gambiaj.com- (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The sedition trial of Ebrima Dibba continued with testimony from Prosecution Witness 2, Ousman Gibba, of the Special Investigation Unit of the police. Gibba testified regarding an audio recording in the Mandinka language, in which the accused allegedly made derogatory statements about the president.

During the proceedings, Commissioner Sanneh inquired about the audio content, prompting an objection from Defense Lawyer Bory S. Touray. Touray argued that the witness should only testify about the document’s content and insisted on a certified translation of the audio from Mandinka to English.

Touray stressed that allowing the witness to interpret the audio without an official translation could lead to misinterpretations and prejudice against the accused. He cited ongoing and Nigerian Supreme Court cases to support his objection. 

Commissioner Sanneh countered, asserting that the audio, marked as Exhibit A, was clearly in Mandinka, and the witness was fluent in the language. Sanneh argued that the witness’s testimony about the audio content should be permissible and any translation issues could be addressed with future witnesses.

Principal Magistrate Krubally ruled in favor of allowing the witness to proceed, noting that the reasons would be detailed in a future judgment.

Gibba then recounted the audio’s contents, alleging that Dibba made derogatory remarks about the president. He confirmed that Dibba acknowledged and signed a statement regarding his comments. Gibba also detailed the process of transferring and transcribing the audio for official records.

The trial continues with cross-examination scheduled for August 6, 2024, at 10:00.