Former Gambia College Lecturer Accused of Sexual Harassment

Continuing his testimony before Magistrate Lamin George of the Banjul Magistrates' Court as the trial of two former GambiaCollege lecturers Lamin BT Sanyang and Abdoulie Baldeh continued, Mr Senghorr told the court that he is still the principal of the GambiaCollege. He said he knew the 2ndaccused Mr Baldeh who was a lecturer at the GambiaCollege and that he taught science. He revealed that the first complaint he received about the accused Mr Baldeh was from the then acting head of School of Education at the Gambia College Mr Sawlo Jah.

According to principal Senghorr, Mr Jah brought a letter to him from Ms Brydon a VSO volunteer lecturer in the Science Department School of Education of the GambiaCollege. In the letter Ms Brydon claimed that she was resigning from the GambiaCollege because of continued sexual harassment by the accused Abdoulie Baldeh. " I instructed Mr Jah to carry out an investigation about the allegation," he added.

Further testifying, Principal Senghorr informed the court that the report of Mr Jah's investigation together with the complaint of Ms Brydon and the reaction of the accused Mr Baldeh were all forwarded to the College Council for deliberation and action. He said the College Council after discussing the issue instructed the College administration to write to Mr Baldeh and warn him of his behaviour and conduct. He adduced that he wrote to Mr Baldeh several times with the instruction of the College Council with regard to his behaviour and conduct. He said up to 11thMarch 2008, the College sub-committee on discipline was still in existent, adding that in his capacity as the College Principal he wrote to the sub-committee concerning the two accused persons. He stated further that the sub-committee on discipline met and discussed all the complaints brought by the College administration against the accused persons. He said the sub-committee on discipline reported to the Council on their finding and based on their recommendation the College administration decided to terminate the services of the accused persons.

It could be recalled that the two accused persons Lamin BT Sanyang and Abdoulie Baldeh both former Gambia College Lecturer are standing trial on a charge of giving false information to a public officer.