By Mamadou Dem Mambanyick Njie, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, yesterday, Thursday, 19 June, 2014 continued his defence in his ongoing case of a single count charge of ‘Giving False Information to a Public Officer’ contrary to section 114 of the Criminal Court, laws of The Gambia. Mr. Njie testified that he did not agree with the evidence given by Lamin King Kolley, the then 2nd Vice President of the Gambia Football Association (GFA) and fifth prosecution witness in this trial. “It is unfortunate that Lamin King Kolley who served as the then 2nd Vice President of the former Gambia Football Association (GFA) does not understand the Constitution that guides and determines how that association should be run,” said the witness. “Why do you say that?” quizzed senior counsel Antouman Gaye. “Because according to the Constitution (Defence Exhibit2), article 21 states that “There shall be a General Assembly of delegates which shall be the Supreme Organ of the Association, and which shall consist of:-Two delegates from every First Division National League Club (Men and Women), Two delegates from every Second Division National League Club (Men and Women) and Two delegates from every Third Division National League Club (Men and Women),” responded Mr. Njie. Further citing the same Constitution under Article 55, the witness said “The Executive Committee shall prepare, submit and defend an Annual Budget to the General Assembly for adoption provided such is circulated to members at least one calendar month before.” According to the former Youth and Sports PS, from 2009-2011, the then GFA executive never submitted an annual budget for approval as enshrined under Article 55 of the said Constitution, adding that from 2009-2011, the same executive was in existence and operating. At this juncture, the matter was adjourned to June 23rd for continuation of defence. Readers could recall that the prosecution alleged that Mr. Mambanyick Njie on or about the 1st day of March 2012, in the City of Banjul, Republic of The Gambia, whilst as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports, petitioned the Office of the President to wit: that the Ex GFA (Gambia Football Association) Executives were engaged in financial malpractices and never gave a through account of the impress given to them for international marches and therefore sought approval to dissolve the said GFA Executive, an information he knew to be false or does not believe to be true and thereby committed an offence. He pleaded not guilty as charged. ]]>
