Joshua MA Wilson John, an ex-employee of the Banjul Breweries Company Limited, on Thursday, entered the witness box to give his testimony in a civil suit filed against Banjul Breweries before the Kanifing Industrial Tribunal at the Kanifing Magistrates Court.

Giving his evidence-in-chief before a panel presided over by Principal Magistrate Buba Jawo, the plaintiff, Wilson John, told the court that he was an employee of the company as the result of a contract signed on the 2nd of January 2006.

He said that he was responsible for the supervision of the accounts department, the company’s day to day financial operation, preparing the monthly account together with the financial controller and other financial reports as required by the management.  He said he was answerable to the financial controller at that time.

According to Mr Wilson, on the 12th of March 2008, while in his office, the financial controller of the company invited him to her office. He said when he went to her, he found the company’s human resources manager there and was told that he was being put under suspension, as a result of discrepancies found in his office, regarding empty bottles.
“I was given the suspension letter and my salary was also seized during the period of my suspension, which I demanded but to no avail,” said the plaintiff.

At that juncture, the counsel for the plaintiff, Assan NI Martin applied to tender the said suspension letter to the tribunal.The application was granted and the letter marked as Exhibit B.

Mr Wilson further told the tribunal that he was finally issued a termination letter after five months of suspension. The counsel again applied to tender the said termination letter in court. His application was granted and the letter was marked as Exhibit A.

According to him, he had been under suspension for five months without salary, before he was finally terminated. He added that he has also not been served any notice prior to his termination.

At that juncture, the tribunal adjourned the case to October 23rd.
Lawyer Malick Mba’i represented the defendant company in the tribunal.