Former justice minister Lamin Babadinding Jobarteh pleaded for intervention from the chairman of the TRRC and vowed he will not speak on anything that he has no knowledge of.
Jobarteh had earlier on, on Thursday denied claims he was present when nine prisoners were illegally executed in 2012.
His resumed his testimony before the TRRC Thursday afternoon but quickly sought intervention from the TRRC chairman after the probe’s lawyer Faal pressed him he should have known about the event by virtue his position as justice minister.
“Mr Chairman, could you please intervene? I cannot say or talk about things that I do not know. Counsel has been insisting on the same question over and over. And I will refuse to answer any other question on that point which is my right,” Jobarteh told Dr Lamin J Sise.
He had earlier said it was a matter of opinion on the part of Faal that he (Jobarteh) should know about the executions by virtue of his status at the time as justice minister
“No Mr Jobarteh, I disagree. It’s not a matter of opinion – it’s a matter of facts,” Faal said.
Faal told the witness he does not have a right to refuse to answer questions under the laws of the TRRC “unless and until that question incriminates in an offence”.
“And this question is rather innocuous; it does not incriminate you in an offence,” Faal insisted.
“That notwithstanding, I can only answer questions that are within my knowledge,” Jobarteh replied.
