Continuing his evidence-in-chief, the third prosecution witness (PW3), Amadou John, told the court he made enquiries as to why the media did not cover both the opening and closing of the training session, but no answer was given.
He added that four days after the training activity, PW2 called him and informed him that he (PW2) had been selected as a supervisor, while he (John) was selected as a participant.
They then convened a meeting at his residence and during the meeting, he told them they were supposed to have a supervisors training session, and they told him to tell the trainers that if they didn’t provide T-shirts and identification cards, they were not going to participate, the witness further told the court.
Mr John said when PW2 returned, he gave them feedback that during the event transportation would be allocated, while payment would be made after the event.
He added that PW2 summoned a meeting at his house again, and informed them about the day they should start the survey exercise covering Banjul to Fajara.
Regarding their payments for the survey, the witness told the court that they were offered to be paid in advance or after the survey exercise, but they opted to be paid in advance.
He added that they agreed that if there was clearance and the rest of the materials provided, they would commence the survey.
He said they went to the National Intelligence Agency headquarters to give statements.
PW3 told the court that while coming from the NIA office, he told the accused that they were allocated money without conducting the exercise, but PW2 told him that any update he got from the organizers, he would inform them.
John also testified that after four days, a supervisor from the Kanifing Municipality (KMC) came to Banjul and called Mustapha Jaw, and Jaw in turn called him to come and meet him.
However, defence counsel Lamin Camara, alongside Segga Gaye, objected to that line of evidence given by the witness.
He argued that the witness was giving hearsay evidence, which is not admissible.
He therefore urged the court to expunge that piece of evidence.
State counsel Babucarr Drammeh responded that the evidence given by the witness was not hearsay, and referred the court to section 80 of the Evidence Act.
He urged the court to overrule the objection and allow the witness to continue with his evidence.
However, the trial magistrate upheld the objection, and expunged that piece of evidence on the grounds that it was hearsay evidence.
PW3 also told the court that when they met at Independence Drive in Banjul, the KMC supervisor told them that he was sent by the accused to receive money from Mustapha Jaw (PW2), who counted and gave money to him and they signed for it.
Under cross-examination, the defence counsel asked the witness whether it was correct that he participated in the entire training session.
PW3 said it was correct that he told the court they were dealing with three foreign nationals as trainers.
Further asked to tell the court who was the overall authority at the training activity, the witness said he did not know.
The case was adjourned for continuation today.
