By a staff reporter
Police forensic officer Assistant Superintendent Francis Mendy has denied any participation in the analysis of blood samples he took to Ghana for forensic examination as he wine-up his evidence-in chief yesterday in the alleged rape trial involving Bubacarr Keita .
Wrapping up his testimony before Justice Momodou SM Jallow of the Banjul High Court yesterday, ASP Jatta told the court the blood samples extracted from the accused, Bubacarr Keita, Pa Modou Jum, and the late baby Muhammad were confirmed and put in a cooler and taken to Ghana.
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Lamin S Camara, the police forensic officer Jatta told the court he studied at the Malaysia University of Science as a forensic officer but has no expertise in DNA, noting that he has never handled biological samples for DNA tests outside the country but knows the rules and procedures in a biological sample and has handled such samples as well as their preservation.
On the verification and authenticity to ensure accuracy in blood samples and the rules governing biological samples, according to the witness the collection is depending on the type of biological sample, adding that blood samples should be collected in a blood troop container and stored for preservation.
The police forensic officer however confirmed that he was not present when the blood samples of the accused, Bubaccarr Keita, Pa Modou Jum, and the late baby Muhammad were extracted but he would not know who exactly extracted the samples.
The blood samples extracted from the said individuals he went further were collected by the hospital staff and given to him in cubes with labels after they were confirmed.
When quizzed by the defence lawyer, Lamin Camara who led a team of defence whether he knows who actually labelled those cubes, the state witness replied in the negative and went further to reveal that the blood samples of the accused and Pa Modou Jum were taken on the same date but not in his presence.
Testifying further in a jammed- packed courtroom, the six-year experience police forensic officer ASP Jatta confirmed to the court that he never participated in the analysis of the blood samples in Ghana and has not informed Superintendent Edward Kofi Abam about the analysis of the samples.
ASP Jatta finally told the court there was a command of communication between the authorities in Banjul and Accra on the analysis of the blood and biological samples, further testifying that seven biological samples were taken to Ghana while one analysis was taken back to The Gambia in a sealed envelope addressed to the Inspector General of The Gambia Police Force with a security seal of the Ghanaian police Forensic lab.
The case resumes today for prosecution witness tenth to continue evidence.
The 29-year-old businessman is being tried on a single charge for raping a sixteen-year-old girl, allegation he strong denied.