William West Murder Case - PW8 Cross Examined

By Modou Sanyang & Soury Camara

ASP Malamin Ceesay, the officer commanding major crime unit of the Gambia Police Force, on Wednesday, 20th June 2007, told the High Court before Justice Anin-Yeboah that some of the evidence-in-chief he gave in court were not contained in his statement.

During cross-examination by the defence counsel, Lawyer Lamin Camara, ASP Ceesay said that all what he said in court was relevant to the case as he summarized the facts. He said he made his statement on 26th July 2006, when the investigations had already been concluded.

He was then shown his statement, which he identified before it was tendered in court as exhibit. ASP Ceesay stated that apart from writing his statement, he also wrote a report after investigation the matter.

He further adduced that the accused escaped on 19th July 2006 but was apprehended the same day. He told the court that they did not recover anything from the accused on 19th July 2007. He said the other three people who were also arrested made their statements, which were included in the case file.  He added that the three were charged by the police. As to why they were charged, the witness responded that the accused, Kate Atori-West, had implicated them. He admitted that they were arraigned before the Brikama Magistrates’ Court and were remanded by the same magistrates’ court.

ASP Ceesay stated that the three were released following a legal opinion received from the office of the Attorney General, adding that they were released without court order. He adduced that they were released following the charge of murder against them at the Brikama Magistrates’ Court.

Asked whether the three suspects took their plea, he said he did not know. He said during the course of the investigation the police impounded two vehicles and some documents, adding that some foreign currencies were taken from the accused as she was alleged to have tampered with the Trust Bank account after the death of William West. He said some mobile phones were also seized from the accused but that all the seized properties were currently in the office of the Crime Management Coordinator. The case continues.