A police officer attached to the Kairaba Division, Modou Lamin Korta, appeared in court testifying as the second Prosecution Witness (PW2) in the case against protesters Alieu Bah, Omar Camara, and Kemo Fatty.
The trio is facing charges from a press conference at the National Audit Office (NAO) in September 2023, organized by the group ‘Gambians Against Looted Assets’ (GALA).
The case involving anti-corruption activists Alieu Bah, Omar Saibou Camara, and Kemo Fatty, members of the civil society group Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA), continues before Principal Magistrate Isatou Sallah-M’Bai at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.
The activists were formally arraigned and charged with two counts: Unlawful Assembly and Common Nuisance, contrary to sections of the Criminal Offences Act.
The prosecution alleges that the accused, on or about September 15th, 2025, conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace and created a common nuisance at the National Audit Office and surrounding areas.
When they were first arraigned, a fourth individual, Momodou Camara, was initially charged, but the prosecution later applied to withdraw the charges against him. The application was granted by the court, and Momodou Camara was discharged.
The remaining three accuse Kemo Fatty, Alieu Bah, and Omar Saibou Camara were granted bail by the presiding magistrate. The bail was set at D50,000 (Fifty Thousand dalasis each, with the requirement of one Gambian surety who must deposit their ID card with the court registrar.
Officer Korta, who serves as a supervisor and coordinator of personnel in his Area of Responsibility (AOR) testified that he recognized the three accused persons.
Officer Korta recounts the events of 18th September 2023, Officer Korta testified that between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM, he went to the National Audit Office along Bertin Harding Highway after learning of a scheduled conference gathering by GALA.
Upon arrival, he found police officers and Supt. Dawda Jallow, the most senior officer on the ground. Supt. Jallow informed him the order was to tell the group to dispatch.
“Then I told him then tell them to move that’s Alieu Bah,” Korta stated. He noted that the environment upon his arrival was “quite chaotic” with “lot of noise and shouting” due to the presence of 20 to 30 people, including the three accused.
Korta then described the confrontation leading to an arrest:
“As Omar Saibo Camara and his group were going, one of the group members came back and stood around the gate. I later came to know him as Alieu Bah who insisted that he has a right to protest and be there and he is not moving. Then I told him my Brother please can you comply with the rest of the group. But Alieu Bah insisted that he would not move. He was not even listening to me he was just talking.”
Korta said that two Police Intervention Unit (PIU) officers, assisted by a G4D officer, eventually grap Alieu Bah and arrested him after Alieu Bah refused to comply with the advice to move.
After Alieu Bah’s arrest, the group started moving towards the gate, which is when the PIU started throwing tear gas.
Cross-Examination by Defence Counsel L.S Camara
Counsel L.S. Camara: Mr. Korta, you said when you arrived at the National Audit Office, there were about 20-30 people?
Officer Korta: Yes, there were more than that.
Counsel L.S. Camara: Do you know if the said 20-30 people work of the National Audit Office?
Officer Korta: No.
Counsel L.S. Camara: Do you know at the time how many GALA members were there?
Officer Korta: No.
Counsel L.S. Camara: Do you know when you arrived, do you know if there were police officers inside the office?
Officer Korta: Yes we posted police officers inside.
Counsel L.S. Camara: Is it correct to say that the police have access to the office despite the presence of the 20-30 people?
Officer Korta: Yes the police have access in and out.
Counsel L.S. Camara: Why were they asked to move from there?
Officer Korta: I would not know the reason.
Counsel L.S. Camara: When Alieu Bah came back to stand near the gate by the fence, was he unruly to any of the officers?
Officer Korta: Yes he was.
Counsel L.S. Camara: How?
Officer Korta: The way and manner that he was shouting at them and insisting that it was his right to be there despite the circumstance.
Counsel L.S. Camara: Mr. Korta is it not correct that the circumstances you are talking about are applicable to all the 20-30 people?
Officer Korta: That is correct but all of them complied except him.
Counsel L.S. Camara: And at this time, the police were going in and out of the Nation Audit Office?
Officer Korta: No they were not going in and out because the officers were posted in and out of the office and the gate was locked.
The case was adjourned to the 21st
