“Don’t Insult Me” - Banjulinding Imam Challenges Defense In Efry & Rongo’s Case

The Imam of the main mosque in Banjulinding has challenged the defense counsel representing Momodou Lamin Jarju alias Rongo, not to insult him again.

"You should not insult me because I am an Imam. Your father is an Imam too and I will not insult him" the Imam stressed.

The Imam Yahya Bah was reacting to the defense’s statement that he was lying in court when he said that he did not know all the council of elders in Banjulinding in the case of the two APRC loyalist artistes accused of lying against Eric Tundeh Janneh for land grabbing and disuniting the villagers.

The case is underway at Banjul Magistrates’ Court.

Yahya Bah during cross-examination denied saying in court that the conflict in Banjulinding started when Eric T. Janneh was removed from alkaloship in 2007. "The problem started when Rongo and Evry started writing letters," he said

Barrister Jah also accused the Imam of making a statement at the police that too many mosques in the village were causing problems within the village but he denied it, adding that he (the Imam) preaches it every Friday at his mosque.

Defense lawyer also examined that the witness wouldn’t know the content of Exhibit A and B as he cannot speak or write English. The witness said he saw the copy before he came to court and that was the very letter the accused persons read at the Bantabaa.

Even though the Lawyer put it to him that he cannot identify the letter as he is illiterate in English, the witness said: "What the accused read, even if I see it in my grave I can recognise it."

When shown the Exhibit to tell the court which date was on it, the witness said he did not know and had no idea about it. He added that all he knew is that what is written in the exhibit is what he repeated in court.

He said the members who write Exhibit A are presently the council of elders headed by Eric T Janneh, adding that he did not know the elders of council before Eric.

When the defense put to the imam that the council of elders that wrote Exhibit A were members before Eric T Janneh, he said I don’t know.

Trial is expected to continue April 27.