Sulayman Bun Dawda Jobe, along with Mamadi Bajo and Kojo Coker, who sued Gambia International Airlines (GIA), for wrongful dismissal, on 14 May 2013, continued his testimony.
Chairman Jobarteh, who was flanked by his two panelists, presided over the case.
Continuing his testimony, Sulayman Bun Dawda Jobe told the Kanifing Industrial Tribunal that the management of GIA made more complaints which were not prescribed on the suspension letter issued to him and his colleagues.
He adduced that they sat down again and discussed their letter written to them by the management, and they found solutions.
He further testified that they wrote to the office of the Ombudsman and copied it to GIA and other authorities, showing them the inconsistence in the way the management was acting.
Mr Jobe told the tribunal that they also urged the office of the Ombudsman to undertake thorough investigation of the case and to know that they were damanding their salary arrears for November and December 2009.
They also wanted the office of the Ombudsman to make sure their files were cleared that they were ready to resume work, he said.
At this junture, their counsel, E. Jah, applied to the tribunal to tender a letter written by the GIA for them to resume work.
The defendant’s counsel, Kebba Sanyang, did not raise any objection.
The said letter was admitted by the tribunal.
Mr Jobe adduced that their meeting fell on the 1st of January 2010, which was a public holiday and there was no work at their section.
They decided to put everything in writing to give conditions of their going back to work, he added.
He said further that on 2 January 2010, they resumed work, adding that on 6 May 2010, the office of the Ombudsman completed their investigation, a copy of which was given to them and the GIA management wanted them to withdraw the case, which they refused to do.
Lawyer E. Jah applied to the tribunal to tender the report by the office of the Ombudsman.
There was no objection by the defendant’s counsel. The report was then admitted by the tribunal.
Mr Jobe testified that on 2 February 2011, the GIA management wrote to him a notification letter for his retirement, asking him to make use of unspent leave if he had any.
“On 9 February 2011, I received a notification of retirement letter,” he told the tribunal.
The said notification of retirement letter was tendered by his counsel while the defendant’s counsel did not raise any objection.
The tribunal admitted the letter.
He further revealed that they reported to the office of the Ombudsman when they received a dismissal letter.
His counsel applied to tender the dismissal letter and the defendant’s counsel did not raise any objection. The tribunal admitted the said letter.
Mr Jobe said that no reasons were given for their dismissal, adding that no hearing took place either.
He adduced further that after they received the dismissal letter, they called a meeting among themselves to find a solution, which led them to visit the office of the Ombudsman.
He added that when they did not hear from the office of the Ombudsman, they resorted to the Kanfing Industrial Trbunal.
He said he was supposed to retire on 20 November 2011.
At this juncture, Mr Jobe was so emotional that the defendant’s counsel, Kebba Sanyang, had to apply for an adjournment.
His application was granted, and the case was adjourned till 4, 5 and 10 June 2013.