By Fatou Sowe
The high court in Banjul, presided over by Justice Kumba Sillah Camara on Wednesday admitted a hard drive containing videos of the interviews of the UDP April 14th demonstrators in evidence as an exhibit in the Solo Sandeng Sandeng murder trial against Yankuba Badjie and eight other former officials of the national intelligence agency.
This development came after the viewing of the videos in the hard drive which was earlier admitted for identification purpose only. The admission of the hard drive as an exhibit in evidence did not come without an objection from lawyer I Jallow, the defence counsel for the 3rd accused person Sheikh Omar Jeng, who
hand as the videos do not in any way relate to the indictment filed before the court.
However defence lawyers S. Fatty of the legal aid representing the 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th accused persons and D Dago for the 9th accused person and holding brief for the 2nd accused’s lawyer did not object to the admissibility of the hard drive.
Lawyer L.S Camara of the prosecution team in response submitted that the videos are relevant to multiple counts in the indictment.
Lawyer Camara cited section 3 of the Evidence Act which he said the only requirement for admissibility is for the evidence in question to be sufficiently relevant and it is for the court to determine relevance not counsel on the other side.
He further submitted that it is clear in the recording was done at the NIA headquarters by PW8 and it is the video of the UDP demonstrators.
The court overruled the objection and consequently admitted the hard drive.
Hearing continues on 29 January 2018.
