By Mariama Marong
The prosecution’s seventh witness has told the High Court that Mamadou Bah, also known as Area, started an altercation with Yunusa Mbye before a confrontation that ended with the alleged fatal stabbing of the deceased.
Ebrima Ndow, who testified on Tuesday, 21 July, said he witnessed the incident in Fajara and described how an argument over the volume of a speaker developed into a physical fight. He told the court that he later drove Mbye to hospital, where he was informed that the injured man had died.
The state is represented by Counsel M. Jammeh, while the accused is represented by Counsel C. Mendy and Counsel Samuel Ade.
Giving evidence before the court, Ndow said he lives in Fajara and knew the accused because they were from the same area.
The witness told the court that on 15 June he left his house and saw the accused, the deceased and several other people sitting under a tree.
According to Ndow, the confrontation began when the accused asked Mbye to reduce the volume of a speaker.
“The accused asked Yunusa to reduce the volume of a speaker,” the witness said.
He told the court that the deceased replied by telling the accused to leave him alone because he had already reduced the volume.
“The deceased told the accused to leave him alone, saying that he had already reduced the volume,” Ndow testified.
The witness said the exchange continued after the accused moved closer to Mbye.
“The accused moved towards the deceased and confronted him over the issue,” he said.
He added that the deceased did not respond after the accused approached him.
“The deceased did not respond,” the witness said.
Ndow told the court that the confrontation then turned violent.
“The accused smashed a bottle on the deceased’s head,” he testified.
According to the witness, the deceased then picked up a stone during the confrontation.
“The deceased picked up a stone,” he said.
Ndow said he could not tell the court who landed the first blow after the confrontation became physical.
“I cannot say who struck first during the physical confrontation,” he told the court.
However, he said the deceased called out to a man known as Babadining during the incident.
“The deceased called out to Babadining, saying that the accused had stabbed him in the neck,” the witness testified.
Ndow also told the court that the accused allegedly attempted to attack the deceased again.
“The accused attempted to attack the deceased a second time,” he said.
The witness said he intervened during the incident.
“I struck the accused on the head with a chair,” he told the court.
Ndow said the deceased had suffered a serious injury and was bleeding heavily.
“The deceased had sustained a serious injury and was losing a lot of blood,” he testified.
He said he immediately left the scene to look for transport.
“I ran to look for a vehicle,” he said.
When he returned, he found that people had gathered around the scene.
“By the time I returned, people had already gathered,” the witness told the court.
He said he located a taxi driver and instructed those present to place the injured man inside the vehicle.
“I found a taxi driver and instructed them to place the deceased in the vehicle,” he testified.
Ndow said he then drove Mbye to Kanifing Hospital.
“I drove the deceased to Kanifing Hospital,” he told the court.
While they were travelling, the witness said the deceased was reciting the Shahada.
“While in the vehicle, the deceased was reciting the Shahada,” he said.
He told the court that they were unable to find the emergency unit at Kanifing Hospital and decided to continue to Ndemban Hospital.
“We could not locate the emergency unit at Kanifing Hospital, so I rushed the deceased to Ndemban Hospital,” Ndow testified.
The witness said the deceased’s condition worsened before they reached the hospital.
“Before we arrived at Ndemban Hospital, the deceased was breathing heavily,” he said.
He added that shortly after arriving, he received the news that Mbye had died.
“Shortly after our arrival, I was informed that Yunusa had not survived,” the witness told the court.
Ndow also described events after leaving the hospital.
“As I was leaving the hospital, I met four women from Yunusa’s family,” he testified.
According to the witness, the women asked him about Mbye’s condition.
“They approached me to ask about Yunusa’s condition,” he said.
Ndow told the court that he was unable to answer them.
“I could not respond because I was crying heavily,” he said.
During cross-examination, defence counsel C. Mendy questioned the witness about the distance from which he observed the incident.
Counsel asked him how the accused and the deceased were speaking to each other during the confrontation.
Ndow replied that although he was about 40 metres away, he could hear what was being said.
“I was about 40 metres away, but I could hear their conversation,” he testified.
He also maintained that the accused was speaking aggressively.
“The accused was speaking aggressively,” the witness said.
Ndow further told the court that he saw the altercation become physical.
“I saw the accused and the deceased engaged in an altercation that became physical,” he testified.
He said the deceased did not immediately realise that he had been stabbed.
“The deceased did not immediately realise that he had been stabbed,” the witness told the court.
According to Ndow, Mbye only became aware of the injury after blood began flowing from his neck.
“The deceased only realised he had been stabbed when blood started pouring heavily from his neck,” he said.
During cross-examination, defence counsel suggested that the witness could not accurately describe what had happened because he had been too far from the scene.
“You could not accurately tell what had happened because you were far from the scene,” counsel put to the witness.
Ndow rejected that suggestion.
“The entire incident occurred in my presence, and I know what happened,” he replied.
The witness also denied that his account was inaccurate.
“I have been truthful throughout my testimony and have only narrated what I witnessed,” he told the court.
Ndow further maintained his evidence regarding the object allegedly used at the start of the confrontation.
“I firmly believe the accused smashed a brown beer bottle on the deceased’s head,” he testified.
Mamadou Bah is charged with murder contrary to Section 155 and punishable under Section 156 of the Criminal Offences Act 2025.
According to the particulars of the charge, Bah is alleged to have, on 15 June 2026 at Fajara in the Kanifing Municipality, with malice aforethought, caused the death of Yunusa Mbye by stabbing him in the neck with a broken bottle.
The case was adjourned until 15 October 2026, when the prosecution is expected to call its eighth witness, PW8, at 11 am.
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