Famara Saidy, a 1st Class police officer, yesterday testified in the ongoing trial of Lamin Cham, the UDP Campaign Manager, before Magistrate Amina Saho-Ceesay of the Bunding Magistrates’ Court.

In his testimony, 1st Class Famara Saidy told the court that on 25th January 2007, he and one Immigration Officer, Mr. Bojang, were executing election duty in Bundung when the accused, Lamin Cham, came and told the Presiding Officer Ebrima Jabbi that he wanted to see the ballot boxes. The Presiding Officer, he continued, responded that it was fast approaching closing time.

Officer Saidy further told the court that the accused insisted on seeing the ballot boxes for purposes of confirmation, adding that at that point the accused started pushing and pulling with the Presiding Officer resulting to a fight.

Saidy further adduced that the moment coincided with the patrol of some Police Intervention Unit officers led by one Sergeant Gibba. On arrival at the scene, Saidy stated, Sergeant Gibba ordered for the arrest of the accused who was thus taken to Bundung Police Station.

In his cross-examination, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, the defence counsel, put it to 1st Class Saidy that the accused was arrested together with other UDP candidates. Lawyer Darboe also told 1st Class Saidy that every candidate has the right to inspect his ballot box, charging that there was a scheme to harass the opposition candidates.

The case was adjourned to 19th June 2007 for PW3 to testify. 772 Samateh represented the IGP at the trial.