Dr Tamsir Mbowe blasted back at Essa Faal by asking the lawyer why he didn’t take it upon himself to confront former President Yahya Jammeh when he expelled a UN diplomat in 2007 after she criticised his HIV/AIDS cure.
Continuing his testimony on the former president’s HIV/AIDS cure on Wednesday, things got a little tense between Essa Faal and the top doctor when the former asked him whether he protested Jammeh’s decision in expelling the diplomat.
“Why should I, is that my concern, am I working for the UN?” Dr Mbowe told Essa Faal.
Faal then insisted: “Dr Mbowe, you’re minister of health, you had conversations with the UN ambassador about the treatment programme your boss was doing and she criticised the programme to you and she was expelled from this country. You know that is the highest action that a state can take against a diplomat. Do you agree with that?”
Dr Mbowe replied: “I don’t know of that. Whether that is the highest crime or the lowest crime or action or. I don’t have any problem with that.”
Faal still insisted: “But you’re a national leader Dr Mbowe, you cannot escape that. You’re minister of health.”
“Essa, you’re a Gambian, why didn’t confront the president or write to him and tell him what you’re doing is wrong or is right?” Dr Mbowe fired back.
“I was not minister of health,” Faal responded.
“No, no, no but you’re a citizen. If you’re a concerned citizen…,” Dr Mbowe responded.
