The first prosecution witness in the Sanna Sabally black bull sacrifice case, yesterday, gave his evidence before Principal Magistrate Pa Harry Jammeh, at the Brikama Magistrates court.

The six people who are facing charges  for giving false information to a security agent are Nabeli Jawo, Omar Jallow, Amadou Kah, Mamadou Bah, Ansu Jarju and Sulayman Jallow. The accused persons denied the charge preferred against them.

The case which has attracted public attention was attended by hundreds of people. The first prosecution witness, Seedy Dem, told the court that he had received a phone call from somebody who identified himself as an NIA officer, demanding to see him (Seedy Dem). According to  Dem, he told the caller that he was at the Brikama Police Station, and he asked him [the caller] to meet him there. He added that when the officer arrived, he took out a paper containing a list of names, demanding to meet with the people whose names were on that list.

Dem told the court that as the head of the shepherds association in the area, he was able to get all those people whose names appeared on the list, who were subsequently arrested. " The officer asked me if I knew Ndur Cham and Daba Marena. I told the officer that I saw Marena only twice in public. I was then asked if I do go to Cansamance. I told the officer that for the past 20 years I had not step my foot in Cansamance.

I was also asked whether a black bull was ever sacrificed in my compound. I told the officer that a bull was killed in my compound for one Sainey Sabally, a Gambian based in the UK. According to Sainey , he needed a document in UK, and that was the reason why he asked for a black bull to be sacrificed for him." Dem continued by saying  that he and his men were in  detention for 20 days, at the Brikama Police Station, before they were later released on bail.

He added that the sacrifice was done some four yeas ago, and that at that time too, he was picked up by security agents, who questioned the reason(s) for the sacrifice. "I told them that it was for Sainey Sabally. At that time Sainey himself was in The Gambia and he was questioned over the sacrifice," he said.

At that juncture the magistrate adjourned the case to 9 February. The bail condition which was reviewed by Principal Magistrate Pa Harry Jammeh, was increased from D10,000 to D50,000 for the five Gambians.