Officer Gaye was testifying in the trial involving Pa Malick Ceesay, the former coordinator of National Enterprise Development Initiative (NEDI), and Ismaila Njie, the former accountant of NEDI, before Justice Abi of the Banjul High Court.
Gaye told the court he is a police officer attached to the Fraud Squad at police headquarters in Banjul, and was on the panel of investigators.
He got to know the accused persons through the investigations some time last year in March.
“The directive was from the Office of the President addressed to the Inspector General of Police to investigate an audited report of NEDI for 2009-2010, and we did an investigation with regard to the said report,” he said.
He added that an investigative panel was formed which he headed, and the accused persons were invited for questioning and cautionary statements were obtained from them.
DPP then applied to tender the statements as exhibits, without any objection from defence counsel Gomez.
The witness also stated that a letter was sent to the Gambia Public Procurement Authority and the Ministry of Finance to seek expert opinion about the queries raised from the audited reports of NEDI.
He added that both institutions responded to the letter.
The said letters were also admitted and marked in evidence as exhibits, without any objection from the defence.
The witness further told the court that Suwadou Jallow (PW2) came to the Fraud Squad office, and told them that she was doing business with the 1st accused person.
He also told the court that they featured in their investigations Farouk Trading, which is a business owned by one Demba Jallow (PW1).
He added that goods were procured, which were later disbursed to vendors as loans and a procurement invoice was issued by Mr Jallow to NEDI and that payment was done by instalment in respect of the goods.
However, there was a remaining balance of D45,000, he said, adding that the said amount was paid to Mr Jallow during their investigations.
He disclosed that there were receipts issued to NEDI by Farouk Trading.
The said receipts were also admitted and marked in evidence as exhibits, without any objection from the defence counsel.
The case continues today at 10 a.m.
