I Was Issued Licence To Import Hunting Guns – GACH CEO

The CEO of GACH Group, Dr. Abubakary Jawara, on Friday told the Banjul High Court that he has been issued a license to import hunting guns to The Gambia.

He added that the importation of hunting guns to the country did not begin with him and would not end with him.

“Even right now, people are importing hunting guns into the country,” Dr. Jawara responded under cross-examination.

Still testifying under cross-examination, the millionaire entrepreneur explained that when the gun consignment arrived at the Banjul ports, a procedural investigation was carried out by the police, SIS and the military intelligence.

“This routine investigation was in a fulfillment of the requirement of the license for the determination of the guns,” GACH boss clarified.

“Apart from the investigation by the police, SIS and military intelligence, the guns were also subject of parliamentary enquiry,” defense lawyer Abdoulie Fatty put it to Dr. Jawara.

“Yes, the gun consignment was a subject of parliamentary enquiry. The National Assembly (Standing Committee On Defense and Security) carried out their investigation and found out that the guns were indeed hunting guns,” replied the GACH boss.

“Is it also true that the National Assembly standing committee on defense and security visited your warehouse,” quizzed defense counsel Fatty.

“That’s true,” replied the GACH boss.

He added: “The committee was headed by one Sana Jawara. The members were there to ascertain whether the store was suitable to keep the guns there.”

“I am putting it to you that the purpose of the visit was not for the suitability of the store but because the guns were subject of investigation,” counsel Fatty disagreed.

“The committee from the National Assembly knew very well that I cannot import guns without a licence,” Dr. Jawara replied.

When counsel Fatty put it to him that 63 of the hunting guns were confiscated by the authorities, Dr. Jawara responded:” The amount he cited was never confiscated. They told me it was a new type of gun and they want to use it as a sample for the police. There is nothing to show that it was confiscated.”

“Actually Mr. Jawara, it was your own security, Samba Jawo, who told the National Assembly standing committee on defense and security that the guns were confiscated,” defense counsel Fatty argued.

“It could be a mistake on his part as he is just a human being. There is no document to show that the guns were confiscated,” replied the GACH boss.

At this juncture, lead attorney for Dr. Jawara, Ida Drammeh, rose to raise objection to counsel Fatty’s line of questioning, saying the issues he raised in his cross-examination could not be supported by any documentary evidence.

She then said Section 28 of Evidence Act requires the counsel to produce documentary evidence of his arguments.

Still testifying under cross-examination, GACH boss responded in the affirmative when counsel Fatty asked whether his company had sold some of the hunting guns.

“Yes, that was the purpose of bringing them here,” Dr. Jawara asserted.

He was then shown a copy of the licence, which he recognized as one issued to him.

To Be Continued…