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Gambia: More Testimonies in Briton's Murder Trial

Mammie Kabba, a twenty-eight year old hair dresser living in Bakau Newtown on Wednesday, May 9 appeared at the High Court, in the murder trial of Kate Atori West who is accused of killing her husband by hitting him with a pestle.

Wednesday's hearing is the first time at the Banjul High Court following the transfer of the case from the Brikama High court inorder to ease mobility.

Kabba in her evidence-in-chief, told Justice Avril Anin Yeboah that on her second visit to the accused person's house, she saw Mrs. West and a man taking out two vehicles, which Mrs. West did not return.

Kabba said that she was in a taxi when she returned to the house.

The following morning, Kabba, according to West visited her house and handed her a small black bag for safe keeping, which as West claimed contained magazines.

Kabba added that she accompanied West to the airport when she was going back to England. She narrated that West gave her the remaining money in her possession; that few days later, Kabba went on to say, one Ajayi called her, saying that she should go to his place to collect a cotton material left for her by the accused person, which she collected and took home; that after some days, she said that the accused person also called her, claiming that she had returned to the Gambia. In that call, Kabba said, she told her to bring the bag along; that she took the bag back home after being told by the accused person's aunt that she had not seen her.

Kabba further testified that one Adora told her she should call the police officer responsible for the case, Momdou Lamin Ceesay; that Ceesay came to the house and she told him the story and was later taken to Kairaba Police Station and later proceeded to the police headquarters in Banjul. The witness explained that at Ceesay's Office, the accused person was also brought in and asked if she recognized the bag; that she accepted it as hers, opened it and pulled out her husband's passport.

At that moment, the witness said that she was shocked and began to cry.

She was then moved to another room where her statement was written down.

Under cross-examination with counsel, Lamin S. Camara, Kabba told the court that she knew West during last year's African Union Summit hosted by the Gambia.

She added that she can not recall the date she visited West, but remembered that it coincided with the arrival of President Qadafi of Libya.

Kabba also adduced that West wrote her statement on July 22, 2006 and that she did not read the statement.

Kabba could not recall the date West called her when she returned from England and also could not remember when she went to West's aunt.