Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The trial of Ousainou Bojang and his sister, Amie Bojang, continued on Thursday before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh at the High Court in Banjul, with the defense calling a new witness as it pressed on with its case.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Abdurrahman Maitama Yusuf appeared for the State. Counsels J. Jeng and F. Bondi represented the first accused, Ousainou Bojang, while Counsel A. Sillah appeared for the second accused, Amie Bojang.
Leading the proceedings in the absence of Counsel Lamin J. Darboe, Counsel J. Jeng informed the court that the defense was ready with a witness. The witness, Ebrima Chatty, a clerk at Damanane Chambers and resident of New Jeshwang, was sworn in.
Under examination, Mr. Chatty testified that he downloaded a video involving Ousainou Bojang and one Mama Jabbi from Kerr Fatou’s YouTube channel. He stated that he converted the video into an audio file using his personal laptop and transferred it to a flash drive, which he later handed over to Counsel Darboe.
“The laptop was in good condition when I downloaded the video,” he told the court, adding that he had sworn an affidavit regarding the audio and could identify the flash drive and affidavit through his name and signature.
Counsel Jeng applied for the audio to be played. The state did not object, and the court granted the request. However, the audio failed to play when the flash drive was inserted into the court’s computer. Counsel Jeng then sought to substitute the flash drive with another containing the same recording.
DPP Yusuf objected, arguing the witness had stated that the recording was transferred to only one flash drive. Justice Jaiteh ruled that, as this was a defence case, the substitution would be allowed. The witness confirmed that he had indeed saved the audio onto more than one flash drive, and the substituted flash drive was accepted.
The audio was then played in open court. In the recording, a woman identified as Mama Jabbi could be heard accusing Ousainou Bojang of killing two police officers “to tarnish President Barrow’s name.”
The witness identified the voices in the recording as those of Ousainou Bojang and Mama Jabbi. Counsel Jeng subsequently applied for the audio and accompanying affidavit to be tendered in evidence.
While Counsel Sillah raised no objection, DPP Yusuf opposed the application, noting that the State had not been served with the recording and that the audio was not in English, the official language of the court. He requested that the audio be transcribed.
Justice Jaiteh granted the application and ordered that the recording be transcribed into English before being formally admitted.
The DPP also applied, under Section 166 of the Criminal Procedure Code, to recall Defence Witness 11 (DW11) for further cross-examination.
Both defence counsels objected, arguing that the witness, a foreign national described in court as a white lady, had already been extensively cross-examined by State Counsel Wakawa, who had indicated he was done.
Counsel Sillah informed the court that DW11 had since left the jurisdiction. Counsel Jeng added that she needed to verify whether the witness remained in the country.
Justice Jaiteh ruled that the court must first establish whether DW11 was still within the jurisdiction before making any further order.
He noted that the witness had testified she resides in the United Kingdom but owns a compound in Brufut. He instructed the defense to confirm her whereabouts and directed the court registrar to contact her UK number to verify whether she remained in The Gambia.
The case was adjourned to 18 November 2025 at 1:00 PM for continuation of hearing.
