Gamcotrap youth program coordinator continues testimony

Omar Dibba, Gamcotrap youth programme coordinator, yesterday continued his testimony in the case involving Dr. Isatou Touray, Gamcotrap executive director and Amie Bojang-Sissoho, programme coordinator of the same organization at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before Principal Magistrate Alagbe Ade Taiwo.

 The two women’s rights activists were alleged to have some time in 2009, in Banjul and diverse places, jointly stolen 30,000 Euros being money provided by the YALOCAMBA SOLIDARIDAD of Spain.

Continuing his testimony, as the fifth defence witness, Dibba told the court that the issue of micro credit had never arisen in the discussion between Gamcotrap and Yollacamba Solidaridad, neither in their proposals.

He said it was until when the contract was signed that they received an email from one John Laser, but Dr. Touray was then out of the jurisdiction.

He said John came newly into the project, and his mission was to see whether they had a technical assistant for Alternative Employment Opportunity (AEO), when already Gamcotrap had hired a technical expert from TANGO.

Dibba added that this particular email sent by John Laser made no reference to micro-credit, because Gamcotrap did not sign any contract with Yollacamba Solidaridad and the community of Marid regarding micro-credit.

He further told the court that the project was later implemented in July 2009, and they sent the report to Yollacamba Solidaridad and the community of Madrid in Spain. However, the issue of micro-credit was not raised in any report.

“Gamcotrap also sent the end-of-project report to both the Yollacamba Solidaridad and the region of Madrid,” he said. 

Mr Dibba added that in November 2009, Bekonyi, executive director of Yollacamba Solidaridad, invited Gamcotrap to Spain for fundraising.

He added that they were three people from The Gambia, himself as youth coordinator, Dr. Touray and Imam Baba Leigh.

The said invitation letter was tendered as a defence exhibit.

He added that the invitation letter was printed by himself through Gamcotrap’s computer.

 Dibba further stated that after a series of meetings with the community of Madrid, they submitted a proposal for the second phase of their project, and there was no component where it indicated that micro-credit was part of the project.

The Yollocamba wrote to Gamcotrap that it had been approved, and the details would be sent to them in December,

Before then, the executive director of Yollocamba came to The Gambia, and she brought along a contract proposal for Gamcotrap to sign it.

However, Gamcotrap declined to sign as it was written in Spanish.

Gamcotrap asked Bekonyi to translate it into English before signing it. 

The case was then adjourned to 25 July 2012, for hearing.