By Amadou Jadama
Yama Camara, a former State Guards soldier testifying at the Brikama Magistrate’s Court where she was charged with affray, has accused one SO Manneh, Station Officer at Suba ward police station, of trying to sexually seduce her.
Manneh was handling her case against people she said assaulted her.
Ms Camara, also accused of carrying arm in public and threatening violence, told the court she was assaulted by a group of women and that it was SO Manneh himself who assigned one female police officer called Mballow to arrest her attackers.
She named her attackers as Nyima Silah, Haddy Sambou, Musa Touray (known as Ba-Darboe) and Gundo Camara (known as Fatoumata Camara), Neneh Galleh Jallow, Adama Sowe, Ba Manku Faye and Sireh Jallow.
“After arresting them, we went back to the station and SO Manneh asked me in the presence of all the accused persons about my claim to have been assaulted by them but they all denied assaulting me, saying it was only Sireh Jallow who assaulted me.
My witnesses Ramatoulie Gibba, Kaddy Daffeh and Aminata Tiyana were also asked by SO Manneh and they confirmed that all the accused persons were part of the people who assaulted me,” Yama Camara told the court.
According to her, SO Manneh assigned his junior officers to detain Neneh Galleh, Sireh Jallow, Isatou Sowe, Abbi Sambou, Nyima Sillah, Fatoumata Camara and Musa Touray who denied they took part in the beating. “Adama Sowe and Ba Manku were asked to come to the station by the arresting officer, but Neneh Galleh asked Adama to return home to go and cook, while Ba Manku was also told to go home by one officer Fatty.”
“I complained to the officers about releasing them but they responded that I cannot tell them what to do before asking myself to go home. On 6 November, I went to hospital for medical checkup with a police escort and I handed over the medical papers to SO Manneh at the station who told me to go home,” Yama Camara told the court.
She said SO Manneh kept calling her at night telling her to go with him to a lodge, which she refused.
“On 28 November, SO Manneh called me and with one Officer Taal, he told me my finger prints should be taken since I want my case to go to court. After Taal stepped out, SO Manneh asked me whether I had fought with the people I claimed assaulted me. I told him I did not fight with anyone and they were the ones who assaulted me. He then assigned one of the officers to escort me to the Brikama main station with a file where I was asked to sit under the veranda but while there, I saw the people who assaulted me coming from the back door of the CID office bragging that their arrangement has materialised. I was told to go home and come the following day,” Yama said.
She said when she returned to the main station, she went back to one Biram Jallow’s office who informed her that she has been charged with affray while those who assaulted her were charged with assault.
The trial continues on April 26.
