Dodou Sanneh, former GRTS reporter, who earlier gave his evidence-in-chief in his own defence, was recently cross-examined at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Bojang.
Mr Sanneh was earlier arraigned on a charge of giving false information to a public officer, an allegation he had denied.
Testifying under cross examination, Sanneh told the court that he lodged his complaint of wrongful termination of services in August 2007, at the office of the Ombudsman.
He said the reason for his complaint was that his services with the GRTS were terminated without giving him any reason.
Asked by the prosecuting officer whether at one time he wrote to withdraw his complaint, Sanneh replied in the affirmative.
At that juncture, the prosecutor applied to tender the withdrawal letter, and it was admitted and tendered in evidence.
However, Sanneh denied that he wrote the withdrawal letter to the office of the Ombudsman, after his first termination.
Asked whether his reason for withdrawing the complaint was to stop the Ombudsman from investigating into the matter, Sanneh replied in the affirmative, adding “Yes, at that point in time.”
He denied blaming the office of the Ombudsman, adding that his complaint was accepted and they were working on it.
Further asked whether he surrendered materials to GRTS, the witness said he surrendered all physical assets in his possession to the institution, except the money.
He further told the court that the money was a loan he was servicing from his salary, until the date of his termination.
When it was put to him that the reason for his suspension was based on absenteeism, the accused person denied that.
When it was further put to him that he was warned on several occasions by Kebba Dibba and the GRTS DG, Momodou Sanyang, of inflating the numbers of political rally attendance, the witness responded in the negative, adding: “I was recalled from Baddibu to the office, and from there I was detained.”
He testified under cross-examination that the only question he was asked at the NIA was about the reported defection of 250 people from the ruling APRC to the opposition party.
“I was not terminated for giving false information, because what I said was the truth,” the witness told the court.
He added that, if it was not, he would not have written to the office of the Ombudsman.
He denied the allegation that his petition to the Office of the President was malicious.
The case was at that juncture adjourned till 24th August 2011.
