The trial of three former employees of Gamtel yesterday continued at the Banjul High Court before Justice Joseph Wowo.
Ebrima Bandeh, Adama Ceesay and Sheikh Gaye who are charged with economic crimes, are alleged to have caused financial loss to Gamtel while being employed by the company.
Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, Mr. Abdullah, applied to tender the cautionary statements of Ebrima Bandeh and Adama Ceesay, 1st and 2nd accused persons, respectively.
Defence Counsel LK Mboge, objected to the tendering of the statements on the ground that they were not made voluntarily, and urged the court to order for a voir-dire. However, the Defence Counsel's objection was overruled and the cautionary statements were later tendered in court as exhibits.
Under cross-examination, the state witness Dodou Sanneh told the court that he is a detective police officer and has been in the service for nine years. He added that he knows what is a diary of action, noting that they have a diary of action at the Major Crimes Unit of the Police Headquarters.
He admitted that on 19 September 2008, the Officer Commanding Major Crime Unit instructed him, to report to the NIA and it was recorded in the diary of action. He said when he reported to the NIA, there was a panel of investigators who looked into the case, noting that he was a member of the panel.
According to Officer Sgt Sanneh, he was made to understand that the 1st accused, Ebrima Bandeh, was arrested in June 2008. " I did not know the reason of the 1st accused's arrest at the time, but during the investigation I was made to understand that he was arrested in connection with a sim box," he explained.
Further responding to questions posed by the Defence Counsel L.K. Mboge, the state witness Officer Sgt Sanneh told the court that the sim box was used by the 1st accused in his office at Gamtel Abuko, under his desk when it was recovered by one of the panelists. He agreed that he did not see the sim box in the 1st accused's office, but the one that recovered the sim box was a member of the panel, of which he was working with during the course of the investigations. He informed the court that all what he said in court was the truth.
Hearing continues.
