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Gambia: Former IEC Director of Administration Testifies in D6M Forgery Case

Safiatou  Njie, former IEC Director of Administration,  on Tuesday 24th April  2007, testified  before Magistrate Secka of the Kanifing  Magistrates’ Court in the ongoing D6M forgery case against Kawsu Ceesay, ex-Chief  Electoral  Officer.

In her testimony,  Safiatou  Njie told the court that she formerly  worked with the IEC from January 1996 to August 2006. She said she knew the accused person, Kawsu Ceesay, at the IEC as Chief  Electoral Officer,  adding that she also knew Mr. Ndondi Njie  who  was the IEC chairman. She said that as the Director of Administration,  her work entailed  administrative  matters, including correspondence  affecting staff, amongst other duties. She further adduced that she knew the Canadian company Code Incorporated as the company from which  IEC used to order electoral  materials  in  the past.

Mrs. Njie further adduced that in the month of March 2006, Mr. Ndondi Njie, told them at a Commission meeting that he had received mails  and telephone calls  from Code Company regarding  the ordering of electoral  materials , which  the IEC had to cancel after making a firm order. She said Mr. Ndondi Njie denied ever giving approval for the order, while the accused, Mr. Kawsu Ceesay, said it was Mr. Njie did give him verbal instructions to go ahead with the ordering of electoral  materials.

She related that in the face of the denial by Mr. Njie, the accused never produced any document to prove the contrary. She added that she was surprised when between July and August 2006 she was shown a document purported to be the approval, after the removal of Mr. Ndondi Njie as IEC Chairman. She said the accused was then instructed by the Commission  to look for invoices  for the electoral  materials.

Hearing was at this point adjourned to 9th May 2007 for continuation.