By Alhagie Jobe
The eleven peaceful protesters arrested on April 14, today, Wednesday, April 22 appeared at the Mansakonko High Court presided over by Justice Simone Abi with four prosecution witnesses testifying and a PA system, bunch of whistles, banners, cautionary and voluntary statements were tendered as exhibits against the accused persons.
The four prosecution witnesses are all police officers including one PIU, an investigator attached to Fraud Squad and one from Major Crime Unit.
The accused persons including Nogoi Njie, Fatoumata Jawara, Fatou Camara, Lamin Marong and others are currently detained at Janjangbureh prisons in the Central River Region after their case was transferred from Banjul High Court to Mansakonko High Court.
The accused persons who are not represented by any defense counsel did not make any objection to the materials tendered in court today. They all maintained their constitution rights by remaining silence. They did not also cross- examine the witnesses who have testified today.
The trial judge Justice Abi therefore ruled that since the accused persons remained silent on the materials tendered and did not cross-examine the witnesses, the court has no option but to admit all the materials as exhibits. He then adjourned the case to tomorrow, Thursday, June 23.
Meanwhile, there are reports that the detainees who were severely tortured and need treatment are all denied medical attention. With the bad food been supplied, they are also said to have been denied visitation rights at the prisons.
