By Amadou Jadama
The second prosecution witness in the trial of Mariama Naba Darboe, accused of insulting the parent of President Adama Barrow, appeared before Senior Magistrate Isatou Jallow of the Brusubi Court on Thursday.
The witness, Traffic Police Officer Sergeant 4741 Amie Kah, said on July 5 while she was on posting at the former Sheraton Hotel near Brufut Gardens Estate, she heard commotion in a vehicle that she stopped. The witness added that in the vehicle, two women, Sallymatou and Mariama Naba Darboe, the accused, were quarreling, with Sallymatou accusing Mariama of insulting the president’s mother.
“The accused herself told me she was the one who insulted the president’s mother because he was disturbing the traffic with no one having access,” the witness said.
Sergeant Kah further said she escorted both women to the Anti-Crime Unit in Brufut where the accused allegedly repeated the same insults against the president’s mother.
“A statement was obtained from her and she was thereafter detained,” the witness told the court.
Under cross examination by Counsel Lamin J Darboe for the defence, the witness said she was not present when the accused was giving her statement at Brufut Police Station.
Asked by Lawyer Lamin J Darboe if President Adama Barrow was present when the accused was insulting his mother, the witness replied that the president was not there.
Meanwhile, presiding magistrate I Jallow asked the witness why she stopped the vehicle and she replied that she had a normal traffic enforcement issue with the vehicle.
Further asked by the magistrate what the accused was explaining since she was not present at the taking of her statement, the witness said the accused was explaining what transpired between her and the one who confronted her, Sallymatou. “I have no issues with the accused but she insulted the president,” the witness said.
The case continues today.
