Rape Trial: QCell says footage given to police, investigator denies
Defence counsel Francis C. Anyanwu told the High Court in February 2026 that he planned to tender CCTV footage and had written to QCell for a copy. Justice Ebrima Jaiteh ordered QCell to produce it. In a letter dated 24 February 2026, QCell told Anyanwu the footage was handed to police officers investigating the case at the time. “The footage was handed over for investigative purposes and QCell did not retain any of the data or copy,” the company said. QCell did not name the officers. It added that staff who transmitted the footage to police no longer work for the company, and urged that verification requests be directed to law enforcement. Police Investigator Bintou Tamba denied receiving footage. “I never received any CCTV footage,” Tamba told Justice Jaiteh when asked. Prosecution counsel S.L. Jobarteh said police keep a “diary of action” recording all items collected during investigations. “In this particular case, the prosecution has gone through the diary of action, but there is no such indication of the CCTV footage being handed over to the police,” Jobarteh said. Anyanwu argued Tamba was never mentioned in the case file. “I am just hearing it for the first time. There are no records, my Lord to show that she was involved in this investigation. She did not obtain statements. There is nothing. She was not even called as a witness,” he told the court. Justice Jaiteh said Tamba was the welfare officer investigating the matter and a “central figure” in the case. Anyanwu insisted someone must have taken the footage from QCell. Jaiteh noted QCell did not provide detailed records showing which officer received it. Jobarteh accused the defence of trying to “cloud the mind of the judge” with its request to QCell. “My Lord, respectfully, I take exception to the prosecution's attempt to malign our defence,” Anyanwu responded. “The legal profession is a noble profession and it is expected that the legal practitioner must at all times offer effective representation.” Anyanwu requested an adjournment. “We will seek an adjournment, put our house in order and we will come back again,” he said. Justice Jaiteh granted the application and adjourned the case to 8 June 2026.
Black News 
Defence counsel Francis C. Anyanwu told the High Court in February 2026 that he planned to tender CCTV footage and had written to QCell for a copy. Justice Ebrima Jaiteh ordered QCell to produce it.
In a letter dated 24 February 2026, QCell told Anyanwu the footage was handed to police officers investigating the case at the time. “The footage was handed over for investigative purposes and QCell did not retain any of the data or copy,” the company said.
QCell did not name the officers. It added that staff who transmitted the footage to police no longer work for the company, and urged that verification requests be directed to law enforcement.
Police Investigator Bintou Tamba denied receiving footage.
“I never received any CCTV footage,” Tamba told Justice Jaiteh when asked.
Prosecution counsel S.L. Jobarteh said police keep a “diary of action” recording all items collected during investigations. “In this particular case, the prosecution has gone through the diary of action, but there is no such indication of the CCTV footage being handed over to the police,” Jobarteh said.
Anyanwu argued Tamba was never mentioned in the case file. “I am just hearing it for the first time. There are no records, my Lord to show that she was involved in this investigation. She did not obtain statements. There is nothing. She was not even called as a witness,” he told the court.
Justice Jaiteh said Tamba was the welfare officer investigating the matter and a “central figure” in the case.
Anyanwu insisted someone must have taken the footage from QCell. Jaiteh noted QCell did not provide detailed records showing which officer received it.
Jobarteh accused the defence of trying to “cloud the mind of the judge” with its request to QCell.
“My Lord, respectfully, I take exception to the prosecution's attempt to malign our defence,” Anyanwu responded. “The legal profession is a noble profession and it is expected that the legal practitioner must at all times offer effective representation.”
Anyanwu requested an adjournment. “We will seek an adjournment, put our house in order and we will come back again,” he said.
Justice Jaiteh granted the application and adjourned the case to 8 June 2026.
