By Mamadou Dem
Veronic Carayol, former Deputy Commissioner of Enforcement at the Gambia 
Revenue Authority (GRA), while concluding her defence in chief before Magistrate Fatou Darboe of Banjul Magistrates’ Court yesterday, 7 April, maintained that she is innocent of all the criminal charges leveled against her by the prosecution.The accused also told the court that up to the time she left the service of GRA, no payment was made on Peugeot 406 vehicle.
“Did you ever have a problem with Mr. Bangura (Pw6) regarding the circulation of memo within GRA?” asked her defence attorney, Awa Sisay Sabally.
“No, there has never been any problem,” she replied.
At this juncture, Lawyer Sisay Sabally reminded her that she stated in her evidence that she learnt that the memo was retrieved. She then asked her to tell the court how she gathered such information.
In reply, the witness said: “I was told by Mr. Omar Bangura that he was instructed to retrieve all the memos that were delivered.”
Counsel further asked her to tell the court the procedures adopted by Mr. Secka when questioning her.
In response, DW1 told the court that during the question and answer session by the panel headed by Mr. Momodou Jallow, an NIA operative, one of the members, Mr. Kebba Secka, asked her questions ranging from the contacts she had with the business community to those she had with her colleagues at GRA, amongst others. She added: “I will respond to him, and then he will pick and choose which question or answer I should put in black and white.”
Concerning her sister’s store, the accused told the court that she was in the custody of the keys to the store for almost three months. She said Ebou Bah usually calls her a day before or on the same day in the morning to tell her that he is at Dobson Street and would need items from the store, adding that the number of calls is not more than four.
At this juncture, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Musa Camara applied for adjournment.
Consequently, the matter was adjourned to 15th April 2015 for cross-examination by the prosecution.]]>
