Lieutenant Colonel Biran Saine on Thursday, 7 June 2007 ended his testimony in the trial of Abdoulie Sonko, an alleged accomplice in the Farafenni attack.

During cross-examination by the defense counsel, Lawyer Mai Fatty, the state witness Lt. Col Saine stated that he saw about six attackers during that particular incident, but later learned that they were eight in number.

He also replied that he gave evidence in the trial of Ballo Kanteh and others. As to whether the testimony he gave in Ballo Kanteh’s trial is the same testimony he gave in the trial of Abdoulie Sonko, he replied in the affirmative.

He said he could not remember whether he mentioned a bearded man in the trial of Ballo Kanteh and others, adding that he could not either remember mentioning in the trial that the bearded man was the leader of the attackers.

He further said that he could not remember mentioning the name of the accused, but that he remembered mentioning the bearded man.

Lt. Col Saine also stated that he had no idea about whether Ballo Kanteh told the court that they were led by Kukoi, adding that he did not see the accused shooting anybody. He maintained that there was a bearded man among the attackers at the time.

He identified the accused in court as the one he saw on the day of the attack, affirming that the accused was among the attackers. He adduced that the attackers temporarily took control of the Farafenni military barracks, which led to the mobilisation of troops.

He noted that The Gambia government was not overthrown as a result of the attack, pointing out that there was disturbance of law and order in Farafenni.

To a question on the involvement of the accused, the witness replied that the accused was part of the attackers, maintaining that what he said in court was the truth.

He said he saw the picture of the bearded man at the NIA headquarters, noting that the man in the photo was the accused, the bearded man he saw in Farafenni as part of the attackers.