By Landing Ceesay
State Counsel Fatoumatta Drammeh, representing the prosecution, continued to submit recovered items as evidence in the trial concerning the murder of Shakina Chinedu, a British woman.
Counsel Drammeh is presenting these items through Chief Inspector of Police Landing Nasso, who has served in the Gambian Police Force since 1993.
During the previous court session, the prosecution seized personal documents belonging to the deceased, Shakina Chinedu, allegedly found in the possession of the accused, Augustine Bangura.
Augustine Bangura faces charges of murder and theft under sections 187 and 252 of the Criminal Code Revised Laws of the Gambia 2009.
According to the prosecution, on February 14, 2024, in Sinchang Village, West Coast Region of the Gambia, Augustine Bangura allegedly caused Shakina Chinedu’s death by striking her with a hammer at the back of her neck, resulting in her demise.
Additionally, the prosecution alleges that on the same date and location, Augustine Bangura unlawfully took items belonging to Shakina Chinedu, including D80,000.00, 2 laptops, a tablet, flash drives, keys, a Canon camera, a bank, and correspondence cards, from her bag and apartment.
The prosecution also submitted D80,000 in cash, reportedly recovered from Augustine Bangura, as evidence.
These items were admitted as evidence by Hon. Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the High Court of the Gambia, as the defense raised no objections to their admissibility.
Earlier this week, the prosecution presented a hammer and an iron spade, which were also admitted as evidence.
Chief Inspector Nasso informed the court that, during the police search of the deceased’s home, numerous items were recovered.
“It was at the crime scene, there is a house built as a store and garage, where the search was conducted. The following items, namely: 1 African-printed bag, 1 small bag containing sweets and a small mirror, 2 black spectacle cases with one containing a glass, a black purse containing a hard drive and a charger, a blue and black multiple charger, a black purse containing USB and a data card,
“Tissue papers, a black power bank, An empty brown wallet, A plastic containing contract cards, nail kits, and 2 white envelopes containing keys and spare keys were all as the properties of the deceased Shakina Chinedu. A spade with a black handle was recovered, and some dry cement on the iron of the spade and a Wooden hammer were also recovered at the scene,” Chief Inspector Nasso told the court.
When asked whether he would be able to recognize the hammer recovered from the crime scene, Chief Inspector Nasso responded affirmatively.
“It is a wooden hammer, and when I see it, I will be able to recognize it,” he told the court.
Chief Inspector Nasso received the wooden hammer for identification, confirming it as the one found at the crime scene in the deceased’s home.
Counsel Drammeh subsequently requested to submit the hammer as evidence and designate it as Exhibit.
With no objections from the defense, Hon. Justice Jaiteh admitted the wooden hammer as Exhibit P11.
Regarding the spade, Chief Inspector Nasso described it to the court as having a black handle with dried cement on the iron part. He identified it as the spade recovered from the deceased’s home at the crime scene.
“This is the exact iron spade we found at the crime scene, my lord,” Chief Inspector Nasso told the court.
Counsel Drammeh requested to submit it as evidence and designate it as an exhibit.
With no objection from the defense team, Hon. Justice Jaiteh accepted it as evidence and designated it as exhibit P12.
“You told this court that you recovered a list of items from the deceased’s (Shakina Chinedu) home?” Counsel Drammeh asked.
“Yes,” Chief Inspector Nasso responded.
“If you see these items, would you be able to recognize them?” Counsel Drammeh asked again.
“Yes, my lord, if I see them, I will be able to recognize these items,” Chief Inspector Nasso told the court.
Chief Inspector Nasso received the items for identification, confirming they had been recovered from the deceased’s home.
Counsel Drammeh sought to submit them as evidence and have them marked as exhibits.
The defense team raised no objections to their admissibility.
Hon. Justice Jaiteh admitted the items as evidence and duly marked them.
The case was adjourned to continue on Tuesday, July 9th, 2024.