By Landing Ceesay
Ousainou Bojang, currently facing charges related to the tragic deaths of two Police Intervention Unit (PIU) Officers, reiterated during cross-examination that he was forced to thumbprint blank papers on his initial day at the Police Anti-Crime Unit (ACU).
Representing Bojang, Counsel Lamin J. Darboe raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding Bojang’s statements obtained by the police, prompting the initiation of a trial within a trial.
Allegations of coercion, including the use of drugs and physical abuse, were leveled against the police by Counsel Darboe regarding the acquisition of his client’s statements.
Bojang recounted instances of physical assault while being restrained by members of the Anti-Crime Unit (ACU), stating that the cautionary and voluntary statements dated September 13, 2023, were not the papers he was forced to thumbprint.
Bojang confirmed being arrested on September 13, 2023, and taken to the Police Anti-Crime Unit (ACU) but denied providing any statement to the police on that day as claimed by Detective Ebou Sowe of the unit.
When questioned by Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) AM Yusuf, Bojang clarified that his thumbed printed papers were blank and devoid of any writing.
“It is correct that exhibit P1 was one of the papers given to you by Ebou Sowe, you thumbprinted on the day of your arrest?” Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) AM Yusuf asked Ousainou.
“This is not one of them. I was made to thumbprint a lot of papers. The papers I thumb printed, there was no writing on them,” Ousainou told the court.
DPP Yusuf subsequently presented a set of documents to Ousainou, inquiring whether they constituted the material he had thumbed printed at Anti Crime.
Ousainou clarified to the court that the documents provided to him were those he had thumbed printed at the Airport Police Station, not at Anti-Crime.
“The papers given to me are many, and in those papers, my name is not written on any of those papers. I thumb-printed white papers,” Ousainou Bojang told the court.
“The statements that were obtained from you at the Airport Police Station, what time was it recorded,” DPP Yusuf asked.
“The statements were recorded after the 2 O’clock prayers,” Ousainou responded.
“Look at exhibit D4, with thumbprints on it, is it that part of the paper you thumbprinted?” DPP Yusuf asked.
“On the 13th of September, I was made to thumbprint blank papers and there was no writing on them at the time of thumbprinting them,” Ousainou said.
“Is it correct that all the papers you thumbprinted, apart from the ones you thumbprinted at the Airport Police, were blank?” DPP Yusuf asked.
“Yes, that is correct. They were blank papers, nothing was written on them,” Ousainou responded.
“Apart from the 15th of September 2023, you have never met with Alieu Cham before that day?” DPP Yusuf asked.
“I had never seen him before that day,” Ousainou responded.