The
first prosecution witness in the economic crime case involving seven executive
members of the Gambia National Transport Control Association (GNTCA) yesterday
told the court that “nothing happened” between him and the accused persons.
The witness, Sulayman Jarju, was testifying before Justice E.O. Dada at the Banjul High Court.
The accused persons are Mumine Sey, Ebou Lam, Foday Bah, Morr Kebba Janneh, Sheikh Nyang, Ablie Ngum and Kebba Sarr.
When the case was called, counsel J.B. Sambou and D. Dayoh appeared for the accused persons, while A. Yakubu appeared for the state.
In his testimony, the witness said he is a trader who lives in Busumbala, adding that he knew only the 1st accused person.
When asked to tell the court what happened between him and the accused persons with regard to the case, the witness replied by saying that “nothing happened” between him and the accused persons.
He knew the 1st accused as the president of the Gambia National Transport Control Association.
He said he did not know for what reason the accused persons were in court, but knew that he (the witness) did leave The Gambia to go to Bissau, and that he (the witness) had been the president of the Guinea Bissau Community in The Gambia.
He said traders in Bissau complained that their goods were delayed; so they wrote a letter and gave it to him to take it to the Foreign Affairs Ministry in The Gambia.
Jarju further said the letter was then taken to the police, and he was called and asked if he was the one who brought the letter, and he said “yes”.
He added that he was then told that the letter indicated that the traders in Bissau were complaining that their goods were delayed, and was asked by the police whether the delaying was happening.
He said he told them that he did not know, and advised them to go there and find out.
After the police went there, they never returned to him to let him know their findings, until he was called and asked to go to court to testify.That was all he knew, he added.
Under cross-examination, counsel Sambou asked him to tell the court whether he is a Gambian or Guinea Bissau citizen. He said he is a Gambian, and showed the court his ID.
The case continues today at 2 pm for cross-examination.
