Kawusu Ceesay, former Chief Electoral Officer of IEC, was cross-examined by the state counsel, A.S. Umar, on 2nd January 2008, on the details of an invoice marked Exhibit 3, indicating an order for the purchase of some electoral materials. The case was presided over by Magistrate Sainabou Wadda-Ceesay of the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court while Lawyer Batchilly represented the accused.

In his testimony under cross-examination, the accused told the court that the meeting he had had with some of his colleagues was not specifically convened to discuss the issue of authorising him to place an order. He stated that the issue of the invoice came up during the meeting. He went on to say that when he prepared the memo for the former Chairman of IEC, he gave the original copy to his superior to sign, adding that that was the right procedure. He asserted that it was correct to give a photocopied document for his superior to sign. He further recounted that the said invoice was circulated to other officers of the commission.

Mr Ceesay disclosed to the court that some transaction had taken place between him and one Mr Fonseca, in furtherance of which he was requested by the former chairman to obtain invoices. He revealed that in November 2005 and January 2006, he had some transaction with Mr Harry Sambou, the former Director of Operations of NIA, and not with Mr Ndondi Njie. He said he had had no cause to exchange documents with Mr Harry Sambou. He therefore denied that he was the one who gave Mr Sambou the invoice, which was signed on 2nd December 2005, and was dated on the same day. He further stated that the invoice was generated in December 2005.

He indicated that the controversy between him and the former Chairman began in March 2006, and that the current Chairman was present at the meeting as well as Mr Sulayman Mboob.

He maintained that the former Chairman gave him verbal approval to place an order, concluding that the invoice came to light after Mr Ndondi Njie had left office as Chairman.