Prosecution Witness 7 yesterday made a startling revelation before Magistrate B. Y. Camara of the Banjul Magistrates Court during the ongoing the trial of David Colley, former Director of Prisons.

In his testimony, Edrissa Camara, prosecution witness 7, told the court that he is a prison officer and he knows the accused, David Colley. He testified that in 2006, the accused instructed him to use a ‘Operation Feed Yourself’ tractor to fetch water for use on the accused’s farm. He said he was further instructed to allow the use of the tractor to any officer who could buy fuel.

PW 7 further told the court that the accused also instructed him to use the tractor for collecting sand and to even provide similar services to interested people on commercial basis and hand over the proceeds to the accused. He adduced that he collected gravel from Bafuloto and took it to various locations for members of the public. He stated that a trip of sand cost between D200 to D300, while the gravel trip cost D200.

The witness disclosed that he started using the tractor for this purpose from 2006 up to the time the accused was arrested for the offence he is currently standing trial.

He further testified that all the proceeds he realised from the contract was surrendered to the accused, adding that a book he kept for entering the payments records a total of D26, 500.

Under cross-examination by the defence counsel, Lawyer Antouman Gaye, the prosecution witness said that he is 30 years old. He said he got enlisted into the prison service in 2004 and that he ranked as a Private Prison Officer. He said he never tells lies and that all what he said in court was the truth.

Hearing continues on 6th September 2007.