Badjie is being tried for allegedly causing 34,333 Euros loss to the government of The Gambia being revenue collected, but not deposited by Faisal Bojang who was working under him at the Gambian embassy in Paris. He pleaded not guilty.
Cross-examining Mr Mendy, lawyer Camara asked who Faisal Bojang was answerable to when he [the witness] was in Paris?
“He was answerable to the head of consulate who is responsible for finances,” he replied, adding that the deputy head of mission is the same as the head of consulate in the case of France.
“So, the deputy head of mission in the case of France was and is still different from the ambassador?” Camara further quizzed.
“Yes,” Mr Mendy replied.
“In the case of this incident, who was responsible for the finances?” Camara further asked, but Mr Mendy replied that it was one Saikou Jaiteh, who was the deputy head of mission.
“Who has the supervising authority over Faisal Bojang according to the foreign services regulation?” he further inquired. Replying, Mr Mendy said. “It is the head of consulate. For the case of France, there was no head of consulate at the time. So, it was the deputy head of mission who was responsible.”
At this spot, the judge, Simon Abi asked the witness if the head of mission was different from the head of consulate and he replied in the positive. “The head of consulate is next to the ambassador who is the head of mission,” Mendy said.
Trials resumes March 10.
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