Jon Goldy, a prosecution witness in the case
involving Kevin Aghedo and Joseph Fru Gomez, testified recently before
Magistrate Omar Cham at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court.
The accused were charged with conspiracy to
defraud, stealing, fraud and breach of trust by persons employed in the public
service and making false document.
In his testimony, Mr Goldy told the court that he
lives at Yuna and he is a retired barrister.
He said he knows the first accused person, adding
that he was a member of staff at the National Aid for Legal Agency, but never
met the second accused.
However, he added, he travelled with the first
accused as an executive secretary to go and conduct a community paralegal
training course in URR and CRR, which was part of the UNDP-sponsored access to
justice programme.
They conducted the programme and everything went
through, but after the programme, the paralegals complained that they were not
satisfied with the travel allowance paid on behalf of the UNDP.
He explained to the paralegals that UNDP only paid
two days of travel, which was D300 each for going and coming.
He complained to the first accused that there was a
shortage of water and administration, adding that according to the caterers,
there was not sufficient water in town.
The first accused told the caterers that he would
volunteer to buy them water, which was their responsibility.
The first accused then told him that he bought
enough water for the paralegals.
He told the paralegals that, as part of the budget,
they were supposed to have dinner, in addition to breakfast and lunch.
He then realized that something had gone badly
wrong, and told the first accused that he had to report the matter to his
supervisors.
The first accused told him that this was the first
time he came to know that accommodation was not provided.
The case continues.
