By: Isatou Sarr
The inquest into the death of Omar Badjie, Monday resumed before Principal Magistrate Anna O. Mendy ESQ of Brikama Magistrates’ Court, with a nurse testifying.
It would be recalled that Omar Badjie died following an encounter with police on 26th September 2025 at Mandinaring Village.
Testifying as the fourth witness, Muhammad Jaiteh, from Busumbala, a nurse by profession and the Officer-in-Charge at Mandinaring Health Centre, described his function as managing the administrative activities of the health centre and serving as a nurse on call for any emergency cases.
Magistrate Anna asked for his qualifications. Mr. Jaiteh, in response, said he was a registered nurse and graduated from the University of The Gambia in 2023 and also attended the Gambia College School of Nursing and Midwifery in 2016.
He produced his document from the UTG, an appointment letter, a deployment letter to Mandinaring Health Centre, and a nursing identification card. Magistrate Anna admitted and tendered the documents into evidence as Exhibits OB7 to OB10.
Mr. Jaiteh said he had eight years of experience, and he explained the various places where he served. “In May 2025, I was posted to the Mandinaring Health Centre as the Officer-in-Charge, and I am currently serving in that position,” he told the court.
Magistrate Anna asked him where he was on the 22nd of September 2025 and if he interacted with Omar Badjie of Mandinaring village.
Mr Jaiteh explained that it was on that day at 10:00, while he was in his office, that he was called by the nurses on duty, Sunkaru Demba, Fatou Sarho, and Fatou B. Sanyang, who were working in the Outpatient Department, informing him 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),” he said.
“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,” Jaiteh added.
Before the ambulance arrived, he said, a blood sample was collected and sent to the lab to check the haemoglobin (HB) and blood sugar levels. He said they found that both were low. “When I realised the sugar level was down, I ordered my staff to administer 50% glucose.”
At that stage, Magistrate Anna asked if all those actions were documented, and Jaiteh replied that all the medical actions were documented.
The Presiding Magistrate requested the documents, and the witness produced the medical report or action taken on the victim (Omar Badjie), known as the patient folder or patient charge book.
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.
Mr. Jaiteh then continued his evidence, saying that before the arrival of the ambulance, he prepared the referral document. He also asked the police officers about the circumstances surrounding the patient’s collapse.
Magistrate Anna asked what their names were and how many of them were there. Jaiteh replied that he did not know their names, but there were four officers. “The four officers told me that they were on patrol and found that Omar had 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,” Jaiteh narrated to the court.
“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 Sunkaru Demba to accompany the patient to Kanifing, along with two family members and one police officer.”
However, he said that on their way to Kanifing General Hospital near Tabokoto, Sunkaru Demba called him, informing him that the patient had passed away.
Jaiteh added that he instructed Demba to proceed to Kanifing for the confirmation of death and safekeeping of the body. He then called Mr. Fadera, who was the third witness, to update him about the situation. According to Jaiteh, Fadera 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,” Jaiteh said.
“In what state was the patient when he was brought to the Mandinaring Health Centre?” the magistrate asked. Jaiteh responded: “He was unconscious and not responding to calls or touches (tactile stimuli).”
Magistrate Anna further asked: “Who among the nurses received the patient upon arrival?” Jaiteh responded: “Sunkaru Demba.”
The case was adjourned to Thursday, November 6th, 2025, at 1 pm for continuation.
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By: Isatou Sarr The inquest into the death of Omar Badjie, Monday resumed before Principal Magistrate Anna O. Mendy ESQ…
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