Gamcotrap Program Coordinator continues defence

Amie Bojang-Sissoho, program coordinator of Gamcotrap, yesterday continued her defence testimony in the case involving Mrs Bojang and Dr. Isatou Touray, executive director of the same organization, at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court.

 It was alleged that the two prominent women’s rights activists in 2009, in Banjul and diverse places in The Gambia, jointly stole 30,000 Euros being money provided by the YALOCAMBA SOLIDARIDAD of Spain to Gamcotrap.

Continuing her testimony, Mrs. Bojang told the court that the project ended in February 2010 and that the Director of Yollocamba came to The Gambia in January 2010.

She said this was after the dropping of the knife, and she returned to attend the end of the project celebration, for which the participants were drawn from the sub-region including Guinea, Mali and The Gambia.

She added that the director of Yollocamba invited Tostan in Ziguinchor in Casamance and its staff resident in the Gambia attended the program so that they could implement a similar project.

Mrs Bojang told the court that Gamcotrap did not have any problem with the director, neither Yollocambai, until when the project was completed.

“We supposed to submit both narrative and financial reports of the project, which we did,” she stated, adding that in January 2010, the director came to the Gambia and one John, who was the technical assistant to audit their financial report, which John did and the two went back to Spain.

Asked by the defence counsel whether micro-finance was part of Gamcotrap’s responsibilities, Mrs, Bojang told the court that micro-finance was never part of their project proposal to Yollocambai.

“Our stand was very clear since day one. We told them that we are not a micro credit organization,” she said.

She said the issue of micro credit was raised after they submitted their report in April 2010, and they later received email concerning micro credit, which stated that they wanted them to open an account for micro finance, and they replied to her email that they are not a micro-finance organization.

She added that there was another email from the director of Yollocambai, telling them that they want to extend the project for six months, and they replied that the project had already ended. So which project did they want to be extended, they asked.

Still in her defence, she told the court that the director wrote to them, requesting receipts for micro credit and they told her that they did not implement a micro-finance scheme, and have no receipts for that.

When asked by the defence counsel which money they received from Yollocambai, she said the only money they received from Yollocambai was 129,000 Euro plus for the fight against Female Gential Mutilation (FGM), which was successfully implemented.

She added that Gamcotrap made their stance very clear that they are not micro-finance credit company, but instead a women and children’s rights promotion organisation.

The case at that juncture was adjourned till 7 February 2012.