Retired Airport Director Testifies in Borry Saidy’s False Information Trial

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By Kebba Jeffang

In the on-going trial of Borry J. Saidy, the former Acting Manager of Air Traffic Services, at the Brikama Magistrates’ Court on Bory J. SaidyWednesday, 02 March 2016, a retired Director of Airport Operations testified as the second prosecution witness (PW2).

The Inspector General of police was represented by Sub-Inspector Ebrima Sarr whilst Lawyer Borry S. Touray appeared for the accused person.

Giving evidence in the Wolof language, Pa Wakka Jobe told the Court that he is residing in Nemasu and was the Director of Airport Operation prior to his retirement. He said the incident occurred in 2014 when he was in the service. He said he knows the accused person and could recall the incident.

The second prosecution witness (PW2) testified that the accused person did write a letter to the office of the president claiming unfair treatment against him by the authorities at his work place at Banjul International Airport in 2014 which has something to do with appointment. He said he read the contents of the said letter.

He identified a paper given to him by the prosecutor as the said letter. This letter has already been admitted in court as an exhibit when the first prosecution witness (Fabakary Kalleh) was giving evidence.

Responding to a question by prosecutor, PW2 said he cannot remember any nepotism at the airport.

“I have some certificates prior to my position as Director of Airport Operation. I gave the certificates that I have to the investigators that came to the office,” he told the court.

Mr. Jobe adduced that some appointments are advertised. “I’m not aware of any position given without being advertised,” he said.

He identified some certificates including an aerodrome certificate that he said was acquired from a seminar as well as his promotion letter which were shown to him by the police prosecutor.

The prosecution applied to tender the said two documents as exhibits and without any objection from the defence, they were admitted as exhibits.

At this juncture, the prosecutor applied for an adjournment to enable his witness to present some of his certificates in court.

There was no objection from the defence counsel and the application for adjournment was accordingly granted.

The matter was therefore adjourned to 15th March, 2016 at 11am.