By: Alieu Jallow
The Director of Prosecution, AM Yusuf, presented the first witness for the ongoing trial of three senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Health Promotion and Development Organization.
Muhammadou Lamin Jaiteh, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Bala Kandeh, the program manager of the National Malaria Control Program, and Omalleh Malleh Ceesay, the executive director of HePDO, are facing various charges including economic crime, corruption, theft, and forgery.
The witness, PW1 Santang B Humma, is a resident of Brusibi and an employee of the Ministry of Health as a finance controller in the project coordination unit. During her testimony, she said she recognized Mr Muhammadou Lamin Jaiteh and Balla Kandeh, who were her colleagues at the Ministry. She also outlined her responsibilities as the project coordinator, which included financial management and disbursement of funds only when approved.
The defence counsel LS Camara requested the witness’s written processes to be served to them, which the court ordered the DDP to provide. The case was adjourned to November 8th at noon.
