The abuse
of office case involving Solo Bojang Tuesday proceeded before Magistrate A.A.
Jagne of the Brikama Magistrates’ Court with the continuation of cross-examination of defence witness one (DW1).
Under cross-examination, the prosecutor asked the accused if he was acting on an embargo, and in response, the accused said he was acting on an embargo and because people were using Kanilai as a passage to go to Cassamance, which could tarnish the image of Kanilai.
“How many embargos were you issued?” asked the prosecutor.
“I cannot recall: the one I can recall is the one I acted upon,” replied Solo.
“When was the one you acted upon made?” the prosecutor further asked.
“I cannot recall, it was a long time,” said the accused.
“What were the contents of the embargo you acted upon?” the prosecutor enquired.
“The embargo was for people to stop moving logs from one end to another,” he said.
“I am putting it to you that there has never been an embargo issued to stop the movement of timbers,” said the prosecutor.
“There was an embargo,” replied the accused.
“Have you seen the document of the embargo you acted upon?” asked the prosecutor.
“It was announced over the air,” replied the accused.
“I put it to you that there was an embargo from the Ministry of Agriculture,” said the prosecutor.
“I did not know about it, the one I know was the one announced over the air,” he said.
“I am putting it to you that the embargo you acted upon was from November 2011 to 2013,” said the prosecutor.
“I do not know of the periods and the only time I knew was the time I arrested those trucks and warned them,” the accused stated.
“I am putting it to you that there is never a directive issued for trucks not to pass by Kanilai,” the prosecutor said.
“There was a general warning that people should not use Kanilai,” he said.
“Where did the directives come from?” asked the prosecutor.
“It is from General Bora,” replied the accused.
“I am putting it to you that you have no directives to stop the importation of timbers into the country?” said the prosecutor.
“I was a security at Kanilai and there was an embargo, so I could not fold my hands and do nothing about it,” he said.
“I am putting it to you that all seized timber products should be taken to the department of forestry,” the prosecutor indicated.
“There is no forestry department in Kanilai,” he replied.
“I am putting it to you that all forestry products should pay tax,” said the prosecutor.
“I did not know about that because I am not a timber dealer,” he said.
“I am putting it to you that you denied the Government revenue by impounding those timbers,” the prosecutor said.
“That is not true,” he replied.
“I am putting it to you that you are working on your own without legal procedures,” the prosecutor stated.
“There was an embargo which I was following,” he answered.
The particulars of offence stated that the accused some time in 2011 and 2012, at Kanilai, being an employee of GAF, abused the authority of his office in a manner that was prejudicial to one Khalipha Saidy, by unlawfully seizing 195 logs of timber from him.
