By Mamadou Dem
Veronic Carayol, the former Deputy Commissioner of Enforcement at The
Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA), while continuing her defence before
Magistrate Fatou Darboe of Banjul Magistrates’ Court, denied using the
official government vehicle allocated to her to carry her sister’s
employees.Ms. Carayol is standing trial on charges of ‘unlawful
publication’, ‘abuse of office’ and ‘corrupt practices’.
Continuing with her defence in a congested court room in the afternoon
of 24 February 2015, the GRA former Deputy Commissioner of Enforcement
said: “I was allocated with a double cabin vehicle with registration
number GRA 63 which was allocated to me by Ansumana Trawally, the then
Commissioner General of GRA with a driver. I was not the only one
allocated with a vehicle and no conditions were attached to the
vehicle during and after the presentation and even the prosecution
witness, William Jatta, has said it in his evidence before this court
and I agreed with him that no conditions were attached to the vehicles
during and after the presentation.”
When asked by her attorney, Hawa Sisay-Sabally, whether she used the
vehicle allocated to her by her employer to carry any merchandise or
her sister’s employees as alleged on the charge sheet, she responded:
“I have never ever authorized the vehicle allocated to me to carry my
sister’s employees. I have my personal vehicle which I acquired in
2008 before a vehicle was allocated to me by my employer. I have been
using my own vehicle from 2007-2008 before a vehicle was allocated to
me.”
When asked by her counsel to tell the court whether during her
employment with the government of The Gambia, she underwent any form
of trainings, the witness said he had underwent training both local
and international and has received certificates.
The certificates were tendered and admitted as exhibits.
Mrs Carayol also told the Court the terrible ordeal she went through
when recording her statement at the NIA.
At this juncture, the matter was adjourned to 3rd of March, 2015 for
continuation of defence.
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