Victim Recounts Violent Sexual Advances
By Kemo Kanyi
Gambia College staff Alasana Janneh has been remanded in custody for contempt of court as his alleged victim recounted violent sexual advances allegedly made towards her by Janneh.
Janneh was on Thursday sent to the State Central Prison in Banjul for his failure to attend court proceedings.
Earlier in her testimony, Janneh’s alleged victim told the Brikama Magistrates’ Court that she suffered ill-treatment at the hands of the accused as he attempted to have carnal knowledge. She adduced that during the encounter, the accused pressed her private organ and waist but she held her by the next and pushed him aside. She told the court that the accused pushed and beat her for screaming for help, adding that he nearly choked her by pressing her neck to the extent that she could no longer shout for help.
“He pushed and beat me for screaming for help and Ifell on a chair. He continued beating me randomly on every part of my body as he liked. He choked me while sitting on my back and continued beating me. I told him not to kill me because I couldn’t breathe but he responded that he was going to kill me. I replied that it’s only Allah who kills not you,” she testified. The witness continued: “Mr Janneh told me that even if I scream, no one will hear me.”
The witness said she enquired from Janneh whether it was sex that made him to delay her at the college till night.
“I requested water from him to drink because I was thirsty but he refused to provide water for me to drink,”she adduced. She added: “He told me to undress. I responded how can I undress myself while you are holding my hands backwards and sitting on me? I told him that I would never remove my clothes. He insisted that I must undress.”
“Did you subsequently remove your clothes,” askedASP Buteh Sawaneh, prosecuting.
“No, I did not remove them,” replied the witness.
The witness said the accused person later left his grip on her hands and directed her to remove her clothesbefore instructing her to give him some items from the table in the office, which she had no idea about.
“That’s how I rushed towards the door, pushed, openedit and ran outside. He pursued me but couldn’t get me. I left all my materials in his office which included my bag, phone, veil, and shoes. He told me to come back for them but I refused. I met the security on duty outside, who noticed a blood stain on my nose and neck. He asked what the problem was, and I explained to him that Mr Janneh attempted to rape me,” she emotionally recounted.
She further explained that the security guard escorted him back to the office to find out because it was a serious issue.
“As we were going towards the office, Mr Janneh had already placed my items outside the office and was walking away, trying to flee the scene. The security called him back and asked him what transpired but hisresponse to the security was unpleasant. Mr Janneh had a bitter exchange with the security but the security told him that he was not fighting with him. Instead, he is going to forward the matter to the right authorities for action,” she recounted.
Janneh’s alleged victim told the court that he attempted to hit her with a chair but he was restrained by her and the security before the security guard subsequently escorted her to the school gate. She added that she told the security to either call to the scene the school authorities or the police otherwise, she wouldn’t go home.
“The school authorities were later called and theycame. One Mr. Cham; senior staff of the college, came and asked me what transpired and I explained the matter to him. The accused person was saying Madam Ndow [vice principal of the college] is his aunt and he will do what he feels like. He was pulling his tongue and provoking me and further calling me a nonsense girl. Mr Cham later took me to his house to spend the night. He said it was too late for me to go back home alone at that time,” she testified.
The victim said she took pictures of her injuries before going to bed, using her iPhone.
When asked by ASP Sawaneh where she sought medical care, the accused replied that she sought treatment at the Brikama District Hospital a day after the alleged assault, adding that she was unable to drink water or eat food on the night of Janneh’s alleged violent sexual advances and had to go to bed hungry.
“The doctor I found on duty directed me to bring a police report before anything can be done. I went to the Brikama Police Station and was escorted to BrikamaDistrict Hospital by a female police officer but I couldn’t get medication. I later went to KanifingGeneral Hospital, which also requested for police report. I went to Kanifing Police Station and BrikamaPolice Station was contacted. I was given a police report and was given medication at Kanifing General Hospital. Still, I couldn’t eat comfortably and I later went to Aqua Lab for scanning,” she said.
She said she could recall receiving a medical certificatefrom the hospital, adding that she also sent photos of her injuries to a police officer called Sabally.
The medical certificate, which was signed by Dr. Seedy Jawo, was alongside the photos of her alleged injuries were tendered into evidence by prosecutor Sawanehbut Janneh objected to their admissibility, saying he only saw the neck of his alleged victim, not her face. He added that the photo can be anyone’s.
However, his objection was overruled by the court, which held that the documents would be pivotal to the hearing and the determination of the case and they were, therefore, admitted and marked as exhibits.
During the cross-examination of the witness, MrJanneh asked whether the victim feared Allah in her narration and she replied in the affirmative. Jannehthen put to the witness that her narration differed from what transpired but she replied that all that she narrated was what exactly happened, adding that Mr. Jannehasked for forgiveness when she was explaining the matter to the authorities in his presence.
When asked by the presiding magistrate, Principal Magistrate Anna O. Mendy, about his absence from the court on the past adjourned dates, Janneh said that he sent a message to his lawyer on 28 February 2024 but he was informed by his counsel that the magistrate was participating in a workshop and promised to inform him of any further date but he didn’t hear from his lawyer in that regard. He continued: “One of my auntscalled and informed me that my face is all over social media for the wrong reason. I told my counsel about it and he promised to visit the court and resolve the issue.”
Magistrate Mendy said the accused failed to appear in court on 29th February and 28th March without advancing any reasons to the court, adding that Janneh’s lawyer didn’t liaise with the court about what was happening, and as a result, he held the court at ransom.
Consequently, she revoked Janneh’s court bail and ordered that he be remanded at Mile II, pending the determination of the case. Her worship said this was necessitated by the need for a fair and speedy dispensation of justice.
The case resumes on Monday.