Detective Sowe tells Court Martial

Police Detective, first class 1580 Abdoulie Sowe, has told the ongoing Court Martial taking place at the Yundum Military Barracks, that, during the course of investigations on the March 21 abortive coup led by Col Ndure Cham, ex-Chief of Defence Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), the coup preamble was found in the drawer at the office of Captain Bunja Darboe,the first accused person in the foiled coup.

According to Detective Sowe, this was uncovered when investigators questioned Cpt Bunja over the whereabouts of the preamble of the foiled coup plot, which he said was in his drawer at the office. Detective Sowe said Cpt Darboe was then escorted by Detective Abdoulie Sowe, Nfally Jabang and Boto Keita to his office, where he brought out the preamble from his drawer and handed it over to them. The police detective revealed that in the course of their investigations into the foiled coup plot, they discovered some documents bearing the names of the coup plotters, and a list of items for charity and another document written in Arabic language which was recovered from Omar Faal Keita the alleged marabout for the coup plotter.

Dectective Sowe added that a request was made by some of the accused persons to be given an opportunity to appologise to the Commander in Chief of the Gambia Armed Forces, President Yahya Jammeh and the general public about their role, involvement in and knowledge of the coup. At that juncture, the Defence Counsel, Lamin Jobarteh raised an objection on the grounds of the questionability of whether the said document was prepared by the first accused person, Cpt Bunja Darboe and also if it was indeed recovered from him as stated by the State witness, detective Abdoulie Sowe. The presiding judge, Justice Akomaye Agim ruled that the documents were indeed admissible and that he relied on the evidence, acting in accordance with the Laws of The Gambia. Therefore he admitted the documents and marked them as exhibits.