Police prosecutor, Sergeant Saidykhan, on Thursday informed the Banjul Magistrates’ Court, presided over by Principal Magistrate Taiwo Ade Alagbe, that he was closing the case for the prosecution in the criminal trial involving the state against Yama Mendy, an ex-soldier.

When the case came up, the prosecution called its last witness, whoidentified himself as Corporal Barrow, and is attached to the Major Crime Unit of the Gambia Police Force. In his testimony, Cpl. Barrow informed the court that on the 5th June 2012 they received a directive to investigate the accused on claims that she was dismissed unlawfully from the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), and alleged sexual harassment from Captain Ebrima Ngum, among others.

He said after the investigation they wrote a report and sent it to the Police Prosecution Unit. The said report was tendered and admitted as an exhibit. Barrow further informed the court that the accused wrote a letter to the Ombudsman, claiming unlawful dismissal. The said letter was also tendered in evidence and admitted as an exhibit. He revealed that during the investigation, he obtained the cautionary and voluntary statements of the accused and the said statements were also admitted in evidence and marked as exhibits.

During cross-examination of the witness by the accused, the court was told that the accused mentioned that three female officers were dismissed and some others were pregnant before the completion of their 2-year service, but the investigation found her claim unfounded.

The case was adjourned to 13th AugustA 2012, for defence.