Lamin Bai Bojang, assistant secretary to the former Permanent Secretary at the Department of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr Bai Ousman Secka, last Wednesday testified in the ongoing trial of a six counts of criminal offences preferred against Bai Ousman Secka and Batata Juwara, former protocol at the Foreign Affairs.

In his evidence before presiding Magistrate Mboto of Banjul Magistrates' Court, Lamin Bai Bojang told the court that he joined the Foreign Affairs Department in 1996 as an administrative officer. According to him, his work entailed writing official correspondence on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, among other things.

Lamin Bai Bojang said, he knew Isatou Njie, whom he said was a cadet administrative officer and  who joined the Ministry in 2006, and that her work entailed writing on behalf of the Permanent Secretary.

He added that Isatou Njie was no longer an employee at the Department of State for Foreign Affairs. He added that he came across a correspondence from Isatou in late September 2007, declaring her intention to leave the job.

He identified a photocopy of the said correspondence letter in court.

The State Counsel, Shanaka, applied for the said document to be tenderd in court, but the application was countered by the team of defence counsel, which included Lamin Mbooge, Borry Touray, Amie Joof-Conteh and was led by Hawa Sisay-Sabally.

According to the defence team, the document could not be tendered because, no proper foundation had been laid for it to be tendered. The counsels noted that the document was a photocopied version. They made reference to Section 101 (1) of the Evidence Act with respect to tendering of documents in court. The defence team further noted that the document the state wanted to be tender ed bore the name of Isatou Njie Sanyang and not Isatou Njie. Presiding Magistrate Mboto at that juncture adjourned the case to April 6th to rule on the issue.