Ousman Sowe admitted tampering with evidence which TRRC attorney Essa Faal called ‘best proof’ at the National Intelligence Agency.
Sowe was installed as head of the National Intelligence Agency shortly after President Barrow took over power. The nation’s intelligence agency was the most bastardised in terms of human rights violations by former tyrant Yahya Jammeh.
But Sowe gave the NIA a face-lift, ripping apart whatever that pointed to the former leader’s crimes at the compound along the way.
He on Thursday went back and forth with Essa Faal over the issue and in the end said: “If by painting the room the evidence has been removed, yes I did. Yes I do.”
When Essa Faal told him whether he agreed what he did was the ‘classic’ definition of tampering with evidence, he said: “Yes I agree.” Sowe however maintained it was not done with any ill-motive.
“I don’t think I was reckless,” he told Essa Faal at one instance.
A forthright Essa Faal told him: “Let me put it brutally Mr Sowe: you violated all the rules in the book. This is evidence of human rights violation. This was going to be the best proof and you removed it. This is a blatant violation of all the rules in the book. I do not want to put it that way but you had to push me. But this is egregious.”
Sowe responded that “If I had known that this is what it will turn out to be, I would not have touched that bed.”
“Well I feel sad to have to remind you that ignorance of the law is no excuse especially for a person of your stature,” Mr Faal blasted back.
