Although in control at the time, Mr Ismaila Sambou, the sacked minister for Local Government and Lands wasn’t aware of the execution order that was carried out in Jabang village in 2007, Banjul Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday.
Alkalo Pa Ebrima Colley was continuing his evidence as defense witness no.2 in the trial of fired High Court Judge, Moses Richards, who is accused of giving false information and sedition.
“Ismaila Sambou said he was not aware of the court order, but ordered me to go to my village and calm my people down,” he testified.
He said all this happen when a young man called Ndow and some Police Intervention Unit personnel came to his village in 2007 and evicted the villagers from their homes and threw their belongings out.
“I was at work when this happened but I telephoned the Paramount Chief of the Gambia, Demba Sanyang and informed him about the development,” he said, noting that the Paramount Chief ordered him to go straight to the village.
He said when he told Ndow that his village was not aware of any suit against them, Ndow told him that “I’m having a court order and will do what I’m told.”
He added that the then chief justice Abdou Karim Savage instructed Ndow to stop the execution and to return to the office.
Pa Colley added that it was in the evening that the then Director of NIA visited the eviction scene and assured them that nothing will happen as the president has given an order that nobody should do anything that will create problem.
He added that the then NIA Director asked him to take photographs of the incident.
Trial resumes tomorrow.
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