By: Audrey Raymonda John
Defense Counsel for Ajibola Nicole, Former manager of Sky Bank, Roland Wright Esq has said in his submission that the ninth prosecution witness Inspector Abdul Karim Vangahun was inconsistent with his testimony in court.
He made the above disclosure just after the State Prosecutor docked his witness who was in possession of the call log that he will clarify calls made by the accused during the incident.
Responding to the state counsel, defense counsel said they have the right to test the veracity of the oral testimony given by the witness to ascertain the fact.
He said it is significant for their case, as the witness identified the nurse in the cause of showing the CCTV and he established in court that it was based on her statement.
Lawyer Roland Wright said it is their right to cross check what the witness said when his memory is fresh.
Defense counsel further submitted that the witness was inconsistent in his statement even though the prosecution chose not to tender the witness statement as part of their case. He said that particular statement is necessary for the case of the defense.
He said the prosecution’s doesn’t show any law that prohibited the tendering of the witness statement.
State prosecutor Ahmed G. Bockarie was about to debunk the issue of the inconsistency raised by the defense when the magistrate overruled saying there was no second bite.
Magistrate Marke Ngegba ruled that the prosecution objection will be upheld by the following, that the witness will not say his investigation was led based on what he obtained from the nurse, and that he did not see the nexus connecting his evidence to what happened.
State counsel informed the Bench that on the next adjourned date they will be taking another witness or witnesses.
The matter was adjourned by magistrate Marke Ngagba to the 21st of February 2023.