The inquest into the death of Omar Badjie, who died following an encounter with police on 26th September 2025, continued at the Brikama Magistrates’ Court with the testimony of the seventh witness.
Musa Kanyi, a resident of Mandinary who works as a painter and security guard, gave an account of the events leading up to Mr. Badjie’s death before Principal Magistrate Anna O. Mendy.
Under questioning by the Magistrate Mendy Musa Kanyi confirmed he knew the deceased, Omar Badjie, stating, “Yes, he is my friend.” He testified that Omar Badjie had passed away in November 2025, and that September 26, 2025, was the day Omar’s “accident happened.”
The witness recounted that on the day in question, after closing from work, he met Omar Badjie at the Mandinary mortuary, where he worked.
“We greet each other,” Musa Kanyi stated, noting that Omar Badjie was transporting goods inside the mortuary around 10 to 11 AM. he then left to visit a friend.
While heading home, Musa Kanyi encountered people running. A police officer, also running, “hit me,” the witness testified. After the officer did not respond to his query about what was happening, he turned back to investigate.
He stated he saw four police officers bringing Omar Badjie from the grass. Omar Badjie’s hands were cuffed behind his back.
“When they reach the mango tree, Omar told them that I cannot go,” Kanyi narrated. When Omar Badjie refused to move further, one of the police officers slapped him and then cut a mango tree to beat him with it.
“As he was biting him I moved back,” the witness stated.
When asked by the Magistrate, Mendy Kanyi said the stick used to beat Omar Badjie was later broken into pieces.
Musa Kanyi described that initially, when the officers and Omar Badjie emerged from the grass, Omar Badjie was strong. However, after the assault at the mango tree, the witness said Omar Badjie was lifted up but cannot walk.
He testified that one officer fetched a motorbike to take him away. When they placed Omar Badjie on the motorbike, his legs were dangling. It was then that the officer decided against taking him to the station, stating, “How Omar is, we cannot take him to the station, let’s take him to the hospital.”
Kanyi confirmed that he and the officers then proceeded to take Omar Badjie to the Mandinary Health Centre. He noted that Mr. Badjie was sick and given water. “When we arrived at the hospital that is how I went home,” he concluded.
The witness said he later heard that Omar Badjie passed away at Knifing Hospital.
Kanyi stated that Omar Badjie was tired when he reached the hospital. When asked by the Magistrate Mendy why he was tired, the witness replied, because of the beating.
When questioned about identifying the officers involved, Kanyi stated, “that was my first day seeing them.” He noted that the assaulting officer was not in uniform but wearing civilian clothes.
The witness confirmed that he had been invited to the Banjulinding police station to give a statement.
The witness statement was admitted and marked as Exhibit MK1. Kanyi was then discharged.
The case adjourned to 15th December 2025, at 2:30 PM.
