By: Mama A. Touray
The third prosecution witness in the alleged 2019 Gunjur shooting case has told the High Court in Banjul that the late Buba Jammeh had received a threatening text message from the accused, Babucarr Drammeh, warning that “if I found you in the bush, I will kill you.”
Testifying before Justice Omar Cham, witness Ebrima Cham said Buba received the message while they were waiting for a bulldozer to demarcate land. “Buba’s phone bings and he said it started again,” the witness recalled. “I asked to see the message and it read, if I found you in the bush, I will kill you.” Cham said he advised Buba to go to the police, but Buba insisted they finish the demarcation first.
Babucarr Drammeh is facing three charges, the alleged murder of Buba Jammeh and the alleged attempted murders of Ebrima Darboe and Ebrima Colley. Prosecutors say he shot Buba in the Gunjur and Berending forest area on March 16th 2019.
According to Cham, trouble began shortly after work started. The bulldozer had cleared only 50 metres when a group of men emerged from the bush carrying a gun, sticks, deer horns and charms. He said the accused and another man, Modou Tamba, were dressed in traditional wooden clothing called fataro, and Drammeh had extra charms tied to his head.
Cham confronted the group and tried to explain they were not looking for a fight. “They asked the bulldozer driver to switch off the engine and come down,” he said.
He described how the situation quickly turned violent. As Momodou was being beaten, Kunfa Jatta rushed forward to help but was also beaten. “He fell on the ground and after three months he died,” Cham testified.
Cham then turned and saw the accused preparing to fire. “I saw Buba Drammeh pressing the liver of the hunting gun to blow it, targeting the driver. The driver jumped and escaped the bullet,” he said. Cham warned Buba Jammeh that the earlier threats were becoming real.
He told the court that he advised his group to be ready to rush the accused if he fired again, but believes Drammeh overheard him. “He moved away from where I was and headed to where Buba was,” the witness said.
Remembering the threatening text message, Cham followed. “Two steps before Buba, he started poking Buba with the gun on his stomach but Buba did not do anything,” he said. Cham grabbed the gun and pleaded with the accused to stop.
He said Modou Tamba and another man then arrived and spoke to the accused in Jola. After that exchange, Drammeh turned back to Buba and ordered Cham to move aside.
“Then I heard the click sound which I believed meant the gun jammed,” Cham said. Drammeh stepped back to reload. Cham tried to pull Buba away but others began beating Buba with sticks. As Buba fell and tried to rise, “the accused walk towards him and did a execution,” Cham testified.
Seeing the blood, the group scattered. Cham said Buba cried out for his family as he bled on the ground. “I called Adama who tore his clothes to cover the intestine of Buba from air,” he said.
Police arrived and Buba was taken to Brikama hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Cham said he was writing his statement when angry community members attacked the Gunjur Police Station and set it ablaze.
The case continues on December 8th 2025 at 10am for cross examination by defence counsel K Jallow.
By: Mama A. Touray The third prosecution witness in the alleged 2019 Gunjur shooting case has told the High Court in Banjul that the late Buba Jammeh had received a threatening text message from the accused, Babucarr Drammeh, warning that “if I found you in the bush, I will kill you.” Testifying before Justice Omar The Fatu Network
