The trial involving Ousman Drammeh, president of the Gambia Transport Union, accused of giving false information Tuesday continued at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Fatou Darboe.
The case continued with the cross-examination of the second prosecution witness (PW2), Mumin Sey, the President of the Gambia National Transport Control Association (GNTCA).
Under cross-examination by defence counsel, SM Tambedou, the witness, attested to the fact that the association was formed first before the union.
The counsel put it to him that the association was born out of the union and it was formed in 1986, which the witness denied, saying it was in 1995.
“Until you came as the president of the association, was the association and the union the same? Counsel asked.
“No they were not the same,” answered the witness.
The witness went on to clarify that one Alieu Ngum was part of the executive committee but did not know if he was part of the union.
Mr Sey added that he was aware of the association’s congress in 2002, where the executive committee was elected for the Kanifing branch at a congress held at the Semega Janneh Hall.
At the end of the congress, the association wrote to the Kanifing Municipality informing them of the outcome, he said.
“And a member of the committee signed that letter including yourself: do you remember others who have signed?” counsel asked.
“I forget I can’t remember them,” he answered.
“Can you explain why Daddy Sowe and Garba Cham signed the letter when they were not part of the association?” counsel challenged him.
“After the outcome of the congress, they have the right to sign hence they were present at the time of the congress,” answered the witness.
Sey said the GNTCA, the transport union with the police and the Ministry of Works went to attend a meeting in Dakar.
He clarified that the association and the union went as separate bodies to show that they were different, and Alieu Ngum, Sheriff Dibba, Garba Cham and Daddy Sowe represented them.
Counsel put it to him that all he said was not true, and they all went to the meeting as one body with their separated roles.
But Sey denied, saying they went separately but they were called as one during the meeting.
It was further put to him that a function was granted by the court to return monies collected from car parks to the union, but he denied, saying monies were never collected.
Counsel further told him that the Inspector General of Police issued an order and one Filigeh Nyassi was held for 21days for him to surrender the manifest and the stamps.
“I was not aware,” he said.
Counsel put it to him that he used the influence and relationship he had to remove Filigeh Nyassi, but the witness denied that.
He also said the association and the union never had a working relationship.
The case was adjourned till 18 June 2015.
