Mr Drammeh, himself the accused in the false information trial, alleged that Sheriff Dibba, a witness, connived with others to forcefully remove Fillijeh Nyassi as the president of the association.
In the court, presided over by Fatou Darboe of Banjul Magistrates Court, Mr Drammeh asked Mr Dibba to tell the court in what capacity he served at the Gambia National Transport Control Association.
Replying, Mr Dibba submitted: “I am the secretary general of the Gambia Transport Control Association and I served that position for fourteen years. The main aim and objectives of the association is to foster cooperation between transport workers for the transportation of goods and services and also to develop the skills of drivers and members of the association. And all the transport workers are under the banners of the association.”
Mr Drammeh alleged further that Mr Dibba was involved in financial misappropriation and liberalisation of foreign trucks over Gambian-own trucks.
He inquired: “Did you receive receipts to determine what they paid?
“Yes we did,” Mr Dibba replied
Asked whether if he was shown the receipts his association issued to the car parks whether he would be able to recognise them, Mr Dibba answered in the positive. “We have truck garage within Banjul that load goods within and a outside the country but the transit vehicle are loaded by the transit agents and not our association. We only issue manifest after the loading of the truck. All vehicles loaded are manifested and stamp by our office,” SG Dibba added. “So if you see a copy of a manifest will you be able to identify it,” Mr Drammeh inquired further. “Yes I will,” Dibba responded.
The accused (Mr Drammeh), later asked the witness (Mr Dibba) to look at some documents and tell the court whether the address is 1819 Willington Street to which the witness responded in the affirmative.
Asked further whether the union has a representative at the ports when agents are loading the trucks for transit, Mr Dibba replied in the affirmative but was quick to add that cargo brokers are not under the association neither a branch office have the right to prepare its own receipt. “I put it to you that genuine receipts are always prepared by your head office and issued to branch offices,” Mr Drammeh charged. “No, that is not true,” SG Dibba responded.
Mr Drammeh is standing trial on charges of false information. As the president of the union, it is alleged that the accused had given false information to the Office of the Secretary General and Head of Civil Service.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail by the court in a sum of D200, 000 with one Gambian surety.
The trial will resume on April 8.
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