In Pirang trespass case Brikama Police SO testifies

Ebrahima Jawara Demba, Station Officer of Brikama Police Station and the first prosecution witness on Tuesday, testified in the on-going trespass trial, involving Duta Drammeh and thirteen other youths of Pirang Village, before Magistrate EF Mbai of the Brikama Magistrates’ Court.

The fourteen were accused of unlawfully entering the farm of one MG Field and sowing corn in the same farm, which was already planted with animal-feeding on July 28th this year.

In his testimony, SO Ebrima Jawara Demba told the court that, he recognised all the accused persons. He said on the day of the incident, he received a telephone call from the Western Region Governor, while at Brikama Police Station, informing him that there was a group of people in Pirang who have entered the land of Mr Gipsa, planted with some grasses for the feeding of his animals.

According to him, these fourteen people went there and planted corn on the farm.

“I then left with the O/C of Brikama Police Station and the Western Region Governor to see the place,” he explained.

“On our arrival at the farm, we arrested them and brought them to Brikama Police Station, and their statements were taken from them,” he concluded.

Lawyer Borry Touray, the Defence Counsel appealed for the case to be adjourned in the interest of justice as it was his first appearance in the case and he has not yet taken any instructions from the accused persons.

In his reaction to Defence Counsel Touray’s appeal, Magistrate M’Bai told the court that the accused persons are not under custody and that it is their civil rights to hire the service of a Counsel before the trial. He then adjourned the case to Wednesday September 12th, for continuation.

Police Prosecutor 1320 Bojang, stood in for ASP Camara in representing the IGP.