President Award Scheme case continues

The case involving 23 staff and students of the President Award Scheme, who were charged with unlawful assembly, continued on 9 August 2012, before Magistrate Jobarteh of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court.

Chief Inspector Jammeh called his sixth witness, Oley Joof, to testify.

In her testimony, she told the court she lives at Latrikunda German and she is a secretary to the director of the President Award Scheme.

She said she knew the accused persons and on 10 May 2012, she was at work at the President Award Scheme.

The witness further testified that at 12 mid-day she and her boss were sitting and she told him that he came very early to work, adding that her boss, Kawsu Fadera, is the acting CEO.

She said she went to the office and her boss told her that he was going to Banjul, stating that she asked him why he was going to Banjul but was told that her boss was going to collect a letter because her boss was informed that Abdoulie Bah was coming back to the institution.

She said he told her not to give the key to anybody before he returned from Banjul, adding that she obeyed his order and someone outside called her to go for a meeting.

The witness told the court that she went to buy breakfast and found people having a meeting in a hall at the institution, adding that some of the accused persons were in the hall.

Oley Joof said she heard the accused saying that Abdoulie Bah was coming back to the President Award Scheme.

She posited further that she later saw some of the staff driving the students outside because they were displaying.

She testified that while she was in her office, two plain-clothes officers came and introduced themselves as NIA officers, and some PIU officers also came.

She said there was a noise outside.

Oley testified that the officers told her that they came to protect Abdoulie Bah because the students were at Denton Bridge.

The accused persons decided not to cross-examine the witness, and the case was adjourned till 23 August 2012.