Alieu C. Njie, a police commissioner attached to the Scientific Support Unit of the Gambia Police Force at the Police Headquarters in Banjul, Monday testified as the second prosecution witness (PW2) in the ongoing criminal trial involving 14 prisons officers who are facing charges of office breaking, stealing and neglect of official duties, all contrary to the Laws of The Gambia. The witness gave his evidence before Principal Magistrate Sheriff Tabally of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.

In his evidence-in-chief, Commissioner Njie told the court that he is a resident of Bundung and can only recognise the 1st accused (Modou Barrow), whom he said is a staff of the Gambia Prisons Services. PW2 told the court that he could recall the 30th April 2012. On the said date, he said he received a phone call from one Saifo Sanyang of the Criminal Investigation Unit in Kanifing who informed him that they have a case of prison breaking and stealing at the Jeshwang Prison.

Acting upon the information, he said he left his office with Ndure Sowe to the said prison camp. According to him, upon arrival, they met Saifo Sanyang and his investigating team, after which he was escorted to the office of the Prison Commissioner, Anna Taro. He explained that he was further briefed on the incident by the Prison Commissioner Taro. “After being briefed, I did a visual examination of the scene and some photos were taken,” he said.

PW2 added that after his visual examination he was lucky to find fingerprints from the nova glasses of one of the windows. He said the fingerprints were later taken using a stick black powder which were later sent for verification and were enlarged by Inspector Bekai Bojang and the results were issued to that effect. He said that he further instructed that the fingerprints of all the suspects be sent to their office for verification which was done.

Under cross-examination, the witness responding to Moses Richards, defence counsel for all the accused persons, told the court that he served the Gambia Police Force for 37 years out of which he served 18 years at the Scientific Support Unit. He said he knew the 1st accused (Modou Barrow) as a nice gentleman but was further acting upon the information he received concerning the breaking and stealing. PW2 further admitted the defence counsel’s statement that it would be difficult trace a fingerprint on an object by visual eye. The witness however made clarification that he saw the fingerprint with the aid of the light. PW2 affirmed that the fingerprints which were examined and verified merged with the fingerprints of the 1st accused, which made him a suspect.

Njie also admitted not knowing that the commissioner was the first occupant of the 1st accused person’s office. He denied the defence counsel’s statement that he did not thoroughly investigate the matter. “Is it reasonable to conclude that a minor fingerprint from an office that one occupied can make one a suspect,” defence counsel Richards questioned and in response, the witness affirmed the question, saying that it is possible. The case was then adjourned to 24th September for hearing.