(Friday Issue, 1 July 2016)
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.
