Ismalia Ngum, the main accused in the ongoing ‘Policeman assaulter case’ on Tuesday opened his defence before the Kanifing Magistrates Court.

He was dragged before the said jurisdiction for assaulting a police officer. Testifying before senior magistrate Sainabou Wadda-Ceesay, Ismalia Ngum informed the court that he is a footballer and lives in Bundung. He then added that he can recall on the 29 October, 2008 between the hours of 21.00pm to 22.00pm at Handover in Serrekunda.  He said the day in question, he found some boys at Handover brewing Attaya (China green tea).

He added that he was then invited by one Alpha Yaya to join them on the tea session, as he (Ismalia) was coming back from football training. According to him, as he join the gathering all of a sudden, he saw the boys running  as they took on their heels by saying the police are to raid the gathering. He added that he then prefer not to run as he was not a smoker or neither had in possession  of anything illegal and therefore need not to run.

According to him, he was found at the place by the police officers, who started beating him before being arrested and taken to Serrekunda police station. Ismalia Ngum further told the court that he preter the court to grant him bail as he was detained at the Serrekunda police station for three days before been taken to court.  He claimed that he was held in the said station and  did not have the chance to take bath or change his clothes.

At that juncture, the police prosecutor ,Sergeant 870 Touray objected to the bail  application noting that the accused has another pending case of robbery in the same court. Magistrate Sainabou Wadda-Ceesay then refused to grant bail to Ismalia. She adjourned the case to January 5, 2009 for continuation.