By Tabora Bojang
A press release from the office of the Chief Justice on the Coroner’s Inquest into the death of Omar Badjie of Mandinaring, has reported that the inquest found that Badjie died due to acute brain injury resulting from physical exertion, stress and assault occasioned by police officers.
Badjie died following an encounter with the police in September last year.
His death sparked violent protests with hundreds of aggrieved youths going on the rampage on public highways in Mandinaring, Lamin and Abuko vandalising police posts, barricading sections of the highways, burning tyres and throwing stones at the riot police who responded by firing tear gas and arresting some of the protesters.
The government responded by establishing a coroner’s inquest into circumstances surrounding the death.
The inquest conducted by Principal Magistrate Anna Mendy of Brikama examined 12 witnesses, reviewed Omar Badjie’s post mortem report and visited the scene of the incident.
”The Coroner has recommended that the matter be referred to the office of the director of public prosecution for consideration of criminal proceedings against the Police Officers involved” the statement said.
”His worship the Hon Chief Justice having examined the record of the proceedings of the inquest is satisfied as to the correctness, legality, propriety of the findings and verdict and as to the regularity of the proceedings. The Chief Justice has accordingly forwarded the record of proceedings of the inquest to the Attorney General and to the Director of Public Prosecutions for necessary action,” the statement concluded.
