Dr Watoni Olaige Oladolu, a Medical Doctor (ophthalmologist) at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH) Eye Unit, yesterday testified before the court martial at the Yundum Military Barracks.
In her testimony, Dr Oladolu told the court that her department received a summon from the court martial urging her to bring the medical records of one Yaya Darboe. She showed the documents to the court martial which were then tendered and marked as exhibits.

She told the court martial that during the course of her work at RVTH, she met Yaya Darboe as a patient complaining of pain in his left eye, on the 21st April 2006.

“We further asked him and he ‘Darboe’ said it was due to the trauma. We examined him, checked his vision but the vision of his left eye was poor and red. He was given treatment and he gradually improved”, she told the court martial panel.

She further testified that lens were recommended for him so that his vision could improve. Dr Oladolu also told the court that she is the head of the eye department at present. She pointed out that during the course of their work they record complaints, findings, treatments and progress of patients.

She also told the court that she is in her eleventh month at the RVTH.

At the Voire dire

During the trial-within-a-trial, Lawyer Borry Touray the counsel for the second accused Captain Yaya Darboe, in his submission yesterday, told the court that the independent witness, Tijan Bojang is not a reliable witness and neither is Abdoulie Sowe, PW1.

Generally, he said the testimonies of both Mr Bojang and Sowe are unreliable. “Tijan Bojang did not even know the difference between a floor and a ground and also the different types of rulers with millimetres and inches despite claiming to be a professional mason”, he submitted.

Mr Touray further argued that both Abdoulie Sowe and Tijan Bojang, the prosecution witnesses’ testimonies before the court should be rejected by the court.
/> The Director of Public Prosecutions, Emmanuel Fagbenle said Tijan Bojang remained steadfast during cross-examination and he is an indepednent witness as confirmed by Abdoulie Sowe, the police officer attached to the Major Crime Unit of the Gambia Police Force. He told the court not to believe the testimonies of the four defence witnesses called by defence counsel Borry Touray.

The case continues today.