The inquest into the death of Omar Badjie, who died following an encounter with police on 26 September 2025 continues.
Nurse Muhammad Jaiteh, Officer-in-Charge at Mandinaring Health Centre, testified today, detailing the medical procedures performed on the late Omar Badjie. Nurse Jaiteh confirmed the patient was unconscious upon arrival at Mandinaring Health Centre and had critically low vital signs before being referred to Kanifing General Hospital.
Below is the transcription of the proceedings
Magistrate Anna O. Mendy: What’s your name, resident and profession?
Muhammad Jaiteh: Muhammad Jaiteh, a resident of Busumbala, a nurse by profession attached to the Mandinaring Health Centre.
Magistrate Mendy: What is your function as a nurse?
Muhammad Jaiteh: I am the Officer-in-Charge of the Mandinaring Health Centre. My function is to manage the administrative activities of the health centre and serve as a nurse on call for any emergency cases.
Magistrate Mendy: What are your qualifications?
Muhammad Jaiteh: I am a Registered Nurse Midwife. I graduated from the University of The Gambia in 2023 and also attended the Gambia College School of Nursing and Midwifery in 2016.
Magistrate Mendy: Do you have proof of those qualifications?
Muhammad Jaiteh: Yes, I do. The witness produced the document from the University, an appointment letter, a deployment letter to Mandinaring Health Centre, and a nursing identification card.
The presiding Magistrate, Anna O. Mendy, admitted and marked the documents into evidence as Exhibits OB 7 to OB 10.)
Magistrate Mendy: What is your work experience as a nurse?
Muhammad Jaiteh: I have eight years of experience. I was first posted in the North Bank Region at Njang Sangal. I then returned to the University of The Gambia for my degree. Upon completion, I was posted at the New Yundum Health Centre from April 2024 to April 2025 as an additional midwife.
In May 2025, I was posted to the Mandinaring Health Centre as the Officer-in-Charge, and I am still serving in that position.
Magistrate Mendy: As the Nurse-in-Charge, where were you on the 26th of September 2025?
Muhammad Jaiteh: I was at the Mandinaring Health Centre from 08:00 to 16:00.
Magistrate Mendy: Were you able to interact with Omar Badjie of Mandinaring village?
Muhammad Jaiteh: Yes.
Magistrate Mendy: Can you tell the court how you interacted with him?
Muhammad Jaiteh: It was on that day at 10:00. While I was in my office, I was called by the on-duty nurses, Sunkary Demba and Fatou B. Sanyang, who were working in the Outpatient Department, informing me that a patient had been brought in by police officers.
I went to the Outpatient Department to see the patient. I quickly did an assessment and noticed that the patient was unconscious and was not responding to calls or touches (tactile stimuli). We then took the vital signs (signs of life), which included the blood pressure, temperature, respiration, and oxygen saturation. The signs indicated that there was life, but the vitals were very low.
This prompted me to take action: I placed him on oxygen with a flow of 10 litres per minute, inserted a cannula, administered MS (likely a saline or fluid solution), and observed him for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, Omar Badjie was still not responding. I then called the Officer-in-Charge of the Banjulling Health Centre, Abdoulie Badjie, to request the release of their ambulance for an evaluation.
Before the ambulance arrived, a blood sample was collected and sent to the lab to check the haemoglobin (HB) and blood sugar levels. We found that both were low. When I realised the sugar level was down, I ordered my staff to administer 50% glucose.
Magistrate Mendy: Are all these documented?
Muhammad Jaiteh: All the medical actions were documented.
The presiding Magistrate, Anna O. Mendy, requested the document, and the witness produced the medical report or action taken on the victim (Omar Badjie), known as the patient folder.
The presiding Magistrate informed the witness that the document was a photocopy and must be certified. The witness was asked to certify the document and submit it to the court. The Magistrate admitted and marked the patient’s folder as Exhibit OB 11.)
Muhammad Jaiteh: Before the arrival of the ambulance, I prepared the referral document. I also asked the police officers about the circumstances surrounding the patient’s collapse.
Magistrate Mendy: What are their names, and how many of them were there?
Muhammad Jaiteh: I do not know their names, but there were four officers. The four officers told me that they were on patrol and found that he was in possession of cannabis. They pursued him, while jumping over several fences. They later found him lying in the grass airlock and brought him to the health centre. That is the information I gathered from the officers.
Before the arrival of the ambulance at around 13:10, I performed another vital sign assessment on the patient and found some improvement in the Blood Pressure (BP) and oxygen saturation. The patient remained unconscious and unresponsive. I was then assisted by family members to transfer the patient to Kanifing General Hospital. I delegated Sunkary Demba to accompany the patient to Kanifing, along with two family members and one police officer.
However, on their way to Kanifing General Hospital near Tabokoto, Sunkary Demba called me, informing me that the patient had passed away, and she was asking for my opinion on what to do.
I instructed her to proceed to Kanifing for the confirmation of death and safekeeping of the body. I then called Mr Federa to update him about the situation. He responded that he had also been called and that they were preparing to go to Kanifing General Hospital. This is the full extent of my involvement in the case.
Magistrate Mendy: In what state was the patient when he was brought to the Mandinaring Health Centre?
Muhammad Jaiteh: He was unconscious and not responding to calls or touches (tactile stimuli).
Magistrate Mendy: Who among the nurses received the patient upon arrival?
Muhammad Jaiteh: Sunkary Demba.
The case is adjourned to Thursday, November 6th, 2025, at 13:00.
