Lawyer Borry Touray, the 9th prosecution witness in the ongoing diamond case against the six former operatives of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on Wednesday June 27, 2007 ended his evidence-in-chief before Principal Magistrate Moses Richards of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.

In his ordeal before the court, Lawyer Touray said upon receiving a written letter in German from one Dr Frank Mahla, he gave it to one Dodou Manneh, a High Court Interpreter, who translated it into English and certified the said letter, adding that the hand written translation was further typed and the typing was facilitated by one Dr Al Lamin.

Lawyer Touray added that he further contacted the complainants Dr Frank Mahla and Nicholas Westphall to come and give evidence before the court. He said the complainants told him that “he was advised not to come to The Gambia by their embassy in Dakar and their foreign ministry in Berlin for security reasons”.

During cross-examination by Lamin Jobarteh, Lawyer Touray told the court he had never seen the accused person taking anything from the complainants.  He then added that when he visited Kotu Police Station, he interviewed one Inspector Ceesay who told him that at the time they questioned the complainants in room number 22 at the Badala Park Hotel, the duo confirmed to them (the police) that the six accused persons took their belongings and threatened them to leave the country with immidiate effect.

He said Abdoulie Kujabi, the former Director-General of the NIA, also told him that he was concerned with the reputation of the NIA, adding that it was the reason why they had arrested the accused persons who were then attached to room number 22 at Bardala Park, immidiately after the complaint was lodged to them.

Lawyer Touray noted that Inspector Ceesay further confirmed to him that the two Germans also identified Kajally Jawara and Lamin Sanneh.

He said the accused persons took $205,600,D1,100, two cellphones, 8 pieces of diamond, the complainants German Passtports and their air-tickets.

Lwyer Touray said that the accused had interfered with some of the witnesses, adding that  he was informed by Ebou Njie, the former Inspector- General of Police that the NIA had demanded for the police to surrender Adama, the second prosecution witness to them (NIA), because they wanted to destroy the evidence of the prosecution.

Lawyer Touray added that when he appeared before the panel of investigators he was limited and not subjected to any cross-examination to compel him reveal more details about the case.

He said he never set eyes on the report of the Commision of Enquiry.

He then added that after making several demands, he finally told the court he has no grievance against any of the accused persons, but he was rather performing his professional duties as a Counsel for the complainants.