By Sainabou Sambou
The prosecution’s fourth witness, Yaya M.S. Darboe, was discharged Tuesday after failing to produce official 2006 court martial records central to the high-profile murder trial of former Jungler Sanna Manjang.
Presiding over the matter at the High Court in Banjul, Justice Sidi K. Jobarteh watched as Darboe’s testimony collapsed under scrutiny. State counsel AA Wakawa led the prosecution, while defense lawyer SK Jobe represented the accused.
Darboe, with 31 years of experience in the Gambia Armed Forces, was specifically recalled to tender certified documents from his 2006 court-martial proceedings, including rulings, testimonies, and records that the defense argued were vital to the current case. Instead, he presented a mix of materials: his purported testimony from the 2006 proceedings, a statement from his former wife dated 27 October 2006, medical reports relating to eye injuries allegedly sustained in custody, and a copy of a Foroyaa newspaper article.
Under intense cross-examination by SK Jobe, Darboe admitted the Foroyaa article was not an original hard copy but a version he downloaded from Google. He further conceded that several documents were compiled by him, with content copied from online Google searches and Foroyaa archives. The defense immediately objected, describing the materials as unofficial and unreliable. Jobe made it clear the defense would not rely on them.
The witness was also quizzed about prison officers at Mile 2 during his detention. He recalled names including LM, Fadera, AS Ceesay, and Commissioner Faal, confirming that Chief Prison Officer Lamin Fadera had earlier testified as PW5. With no further questions, the court discharged Darboe as PW4.
The development follows repeated defense insistence that the prosecution produce authentic 2006 court-martial records.
Manjang, a former member of the notorious Junglers unit under ex-President Yahya Jammeh, faces serious charges linked to the death and alleged mistreatment of individuals during post-coup investigations.
Proceedings were adjourned to Friday, 12 June 2026, at 9 am.
