In the ongoing trial of 23 youths accused in relation to anti-PURA protests, the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court yesterday heard a prosecution application to amend the charges against them.
The case, brought by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), was originally filed under a single charge for Control of Procession. However, during proceedings, the prosecution, led by Commissioner James Manga, moved to substitute the charge with a new one comprising two counts, citing Section 218 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2025. The amended charges were filed with the court registrar prior to the hearing.
The defence, represented by Counsels Lamin L.S. Camara, J. Jobarteh, K. Jallow, and F. Jallow, acknowledged receipt of the new charge and did not oppose the amendment. Magistrate Touray accordingly granted the application and ordered that the revised charges be read to the accused.
- Count One: Control of Procession—contrary to Section 5(5) of the Public Order Act. The particulars of the offence allege that between August 22nd and 23rd, 2025, at Kairaba Avenue, the accused “without lawful authority conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by holding a procession in a public place without a permit from the Inspector General of Police.”
- Count Two: Unlawful Assembly—contrary to Section 63 of the Criminal Offences Act 2025. The prosecution alleges that the accused “unlawfully assembled at the Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA) without a permit from the Inspector General of Police.”
Upon the charges being read, all 23 accused entered pleas of not guilty, which the court duly recorded.
Following this, Commissioner Manga applied for the adoption of the evidence-in-chief of their witness in the new charges, a request that was not contested by the defence. Magistrate Touray granted the application.
During cross-examination, Counsel Lamin L.S. Camara questioned Chief Inspector Alasanna E. Bah about the circumstances of the arrests. Inspector Bah confirmed that he did not personally arrest all the accused but was part of a joint operation. When pressed, Inspector Bah could not recall the exact dates and numbers of the arrests, admitting uncertainty over who specifically arrested each individual.
Counsel Camara further questioned whether Inspector Bah personally knew any of the accused before the protests; the Inspector stated he did not. The defence’s questioning sought to highlight gaps in the prosecution’s account of the arrests and events of August 22nd and 23rd, 2025.
With the allotted hearing time exhausted, Principal Magistrate Touray adjourned the case to October 9th, 2023, from 12:30 to 13:30 for the continuation of cross-examination.Below we reproduce Counsel Lamin L.S. Camara’s cross-examination of the witness:
Counsel Lamin L.S. Camara began the cross-examination by asking, “Are you Chief Inspector Alasanna Bah or Alasanna E. Bah?”
Inspector Bah replied, “I’m Alasanna E. Bah.”
Counsel Camara pressed on, asking, “Did you personally arrest all the accused persons?”
“No, I can’t arrest them personally, but we were on an operation,” Inspector Bah clarified.
“Who then arrested them?” asked Counsel Camara.
“My men and I,” Inspector Bah responded
Counsel Camara inquired about his prior relationship with the accused: “Did you know any of the accused persons personally before the 22nd and 23rd of August 2025?”
“No,” Inspector Bah stated.
“I want to take you through all the accused persons one by one. Lamin Daffeh, when was he arrested?” asked Counsel Camara.
Inspector Bah replied, “I can’t ascertain the time, but he was arrested at the PURA protest on the avenue.”
“Do you remember the date he was arrested?” Counsel L.S Camara asked
“I think it was on the 22nd of September.” Inspector Bah replied
Counsel Camara asked, “How many accused persons did you arrest on the 22nd of September?”
“23 of them,” the Inspector confirmed.
“Can you remember how many people you arrested on the 23rd of September?” Counsel L.S. Camara pushed
“No, I can’t remember,” Inspector Bah replied.
Counsel Camara pushed further by asking, “Chief Inspector, is it that you can’t remember how many you arrested on the 23rd or is it because it was too many or small in number?”
“I just cannot remember,” Alasanna E. Bah maintained.
“But what you do know, you arrested a protester on the 23rd of September?” Counsel Camara asked.
“No, I don’t arrest on the 23rd of September.” Inspector Bah responded
“Do you know Lamin Sey?” Counsel L.S. Camara asked.
“I don’t know them physically one by one,” Inspector Bah replied.
“I’m correct to say that you’re not in a position to say who arrested whom among the accused persons.” Counsel L.S. Camara.
With the allotted hearing time exhausted, Principal Magistrate Touray adjourned the case to October 9th, 2023, from 12:30 to 13:30 for the continuation of cross-examination.