By Bruce Asemota
Lawyer Lamin J. Darbo, the legal counsel representing Ousainou Bojang, has told the High Court presided over by Justice Ebrima Jaiteh that his client had informed him that he was drugged and beaten by officers of the Anti-Crime Unit to obtain his statements.
Lawyer J Darbo made this allegation yesterday during the trial involving Ousainou Bojang and his sister Amie Bojang.
Lawyer J Darbo objected the admissibility of the said statements whilst the prosecution led by the DPP, A.M. Yusuf had sought to tender the cautionary statement of the 1st accused person through one Ebou Sowe, a police officer, and prosecution witness who purportedly obtained the cautionary statement.
Lawyer J Darbo submitted that his client was drugged and beaten at the time he was giving his statement, adding that there was no independent witness.
The defense lawyer also told the court that the 1st accused person, Ousainou Bojang did not make his statement voluntarily because he was drugged and beaten.
He explained that his client made statements on the 13th, 14th and 15th September, 2023 but noted that the statement made on the 13th September was not a confessional statement and has no problem with the said statement made on the 13th September, 2023.
The lawyer vehemently objected to the admissibility with statements made on the 14th and 15th September, 2023 was a confessional statement and his client was drugged and beaten by officers of the Anti-Crime Unit.
L.K. Mboge, representing Amie Bojang, 2nd accused person, also informed the court that he was objecting to the admissibility of the 1st accused person’s cautionary statement.
Lawyer Mboge argued that the statement sought to be tendered by the prosecution was incomplete and was not incompliance with section 31(2) of the Evidence Act and that there was no independent witness present at the time the said statements were obtained from the 1st accused person.
Lawyer Mboge asked the court to reject the said statements.
The DPP, A.M. Yusuf urged the court to conduct a mini trial to determine the veracity of the defence claim.
Meanwhile, the trial judge admitted the statement made by the accused person on the 13th September, 2023 and suspended the main trial and ordered for a voire-dire (mini trial) to be conducted starting today.
Justice Jaiteh asked the DPP to furnish the defence with all the documents it intends to use in prosecuting the case.
