The State Thursday presented its supposed last witness in the ongoing trial of the former AFPRC member and one-time Minister, Yankuba Touray who is allegedly standing trial of a murder charge at the High Court in Banjul.
The last witness presented by the State was a medical research scientist who is also a brother to the late Finance Minister, Ousman ‘Koro’ Ceesay. The witness explained how the family heard the devastated death of his brother.
He described his brother as a man of principle, discipline and above all a sincere man who always displayed sincerity in everything he involved, Sana Ceesay, the State 9th witness explained the circumstances surrounding the death of Ousman ‘Koro’ Ceesay former Minister of Finance during the then military government led by former president Yahya Jammeh.
He introduced himself to the court as a medical research scientist and a senior lecturer at the University of the Gambia School of Medicine and he knows ‘Koro’ as his first cousin whom he said had an exemplary character due to his sincerity and discipline.
Dr.Ceesay further explained that he did not know the suspect, Yankuba Touray in person but as the then Minister of Local Government and Lands which he had met in person on three occasions. He revealed that he once met him around his office when the suspect was a Minister and at the funeral of Koro Ceesay.
According to him, the family believed ‘Koro’ died on Friday night on 2nd June, 23, 1995 but he received the shocking news on the following day through one of the deceased sisters who told him ‘Koro’ had an accident.
The senior medical research scientist further revealed that as he entered the house to see ‘Koro’s mother, he fainted while the mother was repeatedly shouting, they kill my son. He said further that the only information they received at that time was his brother’s car was found burned at Jambur as a result of accident.
“I personally did not visit the scene of the accident but some of the family members visited. I have no family in Jambur neither the family nor the deceased have family there. ‘Koro’ was so closed to me but he never told me he had friend there. I saw him last week before he died,” the witness told the court.
When asked by the State Counsel, AM Yusuf what he meant by they killed my son, the witness replied that, he presumed that question would have been better for the mother, but he assumed the mother was referring to the government.
Meanwhile under cross-examination by the defence, Dr Ceesay pointed out that he did not participate in the corona inquest, saying “no corona inquest was conducted up till today.”
Dr Ceesay further went on to tell the court before wrapping-up his evidence that an autopsy was done by Dr. Fred Oldfield, a pathologist.
State Counsel at that point reminded the court that he has no witness to call again except waiting for the document requested by the defence from the TRRC which the Commission has promised to avail the court before the next adjourned date.
