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By: Fabakary B. Ceesay
Superintendent Gass Sabally, the Station officer at Brikama Police station, also the officer Commanding Upper West Coast Region, on Tuesday 18th August 2020, testifies and via her tendered the station diary of the Brikama Police station in the trial of Chief Superintendent Muhammed Kanteh, who is standing trial on a charge of official negligence, before Magistrate Peter Adoh Che of the Brikama Magistrates’ Court.
In her short, brief and firm testimony, Superintendent Sabally told the Court that her responsibilities were in charge of the day to day affairs and activities of the said station and that she has to make sure all activities involving Police officers on duty are recorded in the station diary including complains.
She informed the Court that she brought the original version of the diary and that it was under her custody.
The said diary was identified by her and was admitted in evidence as an exhibit.
Under cross examination by Lawyer Lamin S. Camara, Lady Sabally said junior officer are the diary keepers and they are responsible for recording events in it. She said it was the responsibility of junior officer to record the movement of the accused person when he was going out. She said the most senior man to the accused was assistant Commissioner Buba Jassey.
Superintendent Sabally indicated that she came to know that the accused person was not at the station when junior officers brought it to her attention. “I rushed to the office of assistant Commissioner Buba Jassey and asked him what happened? He told me it was kanteh, he told me his brothers were stabbed and he was going to the hospital. I told him he should not have allowed him to go but he told me Kanteh has already left”, said officer Sabally.
Camara asked, “In your conversation with Jassey, did you know who gave Kanteh the permission to go”? Sabally answered, “It must be Jassey because he was the boss”.
Lawyer Yankuba Darboe asked, “You said you told Jassey not to have allowed the accused to go, why would you tell him that”? Sabally said, “He is the boss, if he had told the accused not to go he will not go”. Darboe asked, “Why”? Sabally answered, “because of the safety of the accused person and seeing his injured brothers can cause something too. That was my thinking.”
Further under cross examination, Officer Sabally said Jassey did not tell her that he did not allow kanteh to go. Darboe asked, “As a senior experience officer, if Buba Jassey did not allow kanteh to go, will he go?” Sabally said, “of course not, but if he insisted on going disciplinary measures can be taken against him as a senior officer, but he cannot be charge. He can only be queried. That is our disciplinary steps. Buba Jassey did not tell me kanteh has disobeyed his orders”.
Sabally concluded that all activities of Police officers should be recorded in the diary, but unfortunately not all are recorded. She boldly stated, “It is rather unfortunate that not all are recorded. I am as season officer with thirty one years of experience serving my entire career at the charge office, so I know what i am talking about”.
At this point Magistrate P.A. Che adjourned the trial for continuation.