Detective Lamin Cham of the Major Crimes Unit of the Gambia Police Force continued his testimony yesterday on the ongoing treason trial of the March 21st, 2006, foiled coup involving Tamsir Jasseh, Alieu Jobe, Omar Faal Keita and Demba Dem.

Appearing before Justice Avril Annin Yeboah of the Banjul High Court while under cross examination by Lawyer Lamin Camara, Counsel for Tamsir Jasseh, Detective Cham said three voluntary statements were obtained from the accused.

According to him, Tijan Bojang, is a literate and independent witness.
Detective Cham further admitted writing Tijan Bojang’s name on one of the exhibits as it was not compulsory for him to write his name, but to only serve as a witness to what was happening.
“Tamsir Jasseh made drawings of the map where the switches were located. The said map was handed to Cpt Wassa Camara, who destroyed it after visiting the Abuko Earth Station.

Counsel Tamsir Jasseh, Lawyer to Camara asked how he knew that the said Map was given to Cpt Wassa Camara, detective Cham said, Cpt Camara informed him during their investigation and RSM Alpha Bah. He also said that he photocopied the map from the ex-Chief of Defence Staff, Col Ndure Cham.
He told the court that he (Cham) was not there when Mustapha Lowe testified in the court, but Mustapha Lowe told him that Tamsir Jasseh (5th accused) was the one who transported the ex- Chief of Defence Staff to Kujubeh in Casamance and that he also discovered this during the course of their investigation.

Asked how he discovered this in his investigation, Police Sergeant Cham responded that Mustapha Lowe was called to make a statement in that light. He also said that their family home in Farato was also visited. He added that he remembered Mr. Lowe writing his own statements but cannot remember the police officer who cautioned him.

Asked whether he will be surprised to know that Mustapha Lowe never said in court that Tamsir Jasseh was the one who transported ex-Chief of Defence Staff, Col Ndure Cham to Kujubeh in Casamance, Detective Cham replied that, he will be very surprised to hear this.
He admitted saying that Mustapha Lowe was giving a Mobile phone so that he could communicate with the accused and the former Chief of Defence Staff on the way from Brikama to Darsilameh.
According to him, ex CDS Ndure Cham had two mobile phones and used both Gamcel and Africell lines, one of which he later gave to Mustapha Lowe.

Sergeant Cham continued that Cpt Wassa Camara appealed to the panel that they will like to appeal to the general public and the President adding that he also watched the exhibit T, a video tape recovered from GRTS.
According to him, the accused were cautioned off records in order to avoid noise.
He admitted that, the said video tape was shown on TV before the entire Gambian population.

Responding to questions poised to him by lawyer Lamin Jobarteh, Counsel for  the 7th and 8th accused persons respectively, Detective Cham said GRTS came to do the recordings with the request of the accused adding that Cpt Nfamara Jammeh denied ever speaking to Demba Dem about the foiled coup. “He (Cpt Jammeh) wrote a statement and not charged, but was arrested during the course of our investigation” said Detective Cham.
Asked by Lawyer Jobarteh that, he (Cham) is a good story teller, Detective Cham insisted that he did not tell stories.

Detective Cham continued that when he testified before the Court Martial, he said his request to appeal to the Gambian people on GRTS came through Cpt Wassa Camara.
Lawyer Jobarteh then put it to Detective Cham that, he did not discover anything from Omar Faal Keita.
In response, Police Sergeant Cham insisted that, charities and Arabic writings were all recovered from the 7th accused persons in the presence of his wife and children.

According to him, Omar Faal Keita and Demba Dem denied all the charges preferred against them in respective of the matter.
Counsel Jobarteh then put it to him again that he (Cham) is an un-reliable witness.
In response, Sergeant Cham insisted that he is a very reliable witness.

The trial continues on July 9th 2006.