Africa-Press – Gambia. Senior lawyer Amie Bensouda who served as lead counsel in the Janneh Commission of Enquiry into former president Jammeh’s assets appeared before the parliamentary panel investigating the sale of those same assets once they were frozen by the state.
However her testimony began with a procedural argument as to whether she had made or signed any official statement as part of that process.
“I did not make any statement. I was interviewed by a panel, and I answered questions. What I was later given was a document marked ‘statement,’ which I assumed to be a summary of the interview.” she told the panel.
Panel chairman Abdoulie Ceesay countered that the document was a standard record of witness interviews compiled by investigators and required confirmation from witnesses before adoption. “Every witness takes a statement with the investigators. They review it, confirm its content, and then we adopt it,” Hon. Ceesay explained.
Bensouda pushed back, insisting that she could not sign or confirm the document without accessing the full transcript or audio recording of her interviews to refresh her mind on what she said in it. “Without the transcript, I cannot confirm that the summary represents what I said,” she stated. “At this enquiry I have the same privileges as a witness before the High Court, and under no circumstances should I be required to sign a summary prepared by others.,” Bensouda stated.
Committee counsel Dibba acknowledged Bensouda’s rights, but said the panel ‘s investigative procedures were governed by Section 108 of the Constitution, which allows it to regulate its own processes. “This is not a trial,” the counsel noted. “The Assembly is master of its own procedure, Counsel Dibba argued.
However, after some more exchanges on the matter, the committee agreed to allow Bensouda to review the summary alongside the transcript of her interview before submitting a revised statement. “I don’t mind writing a statement,” Bensouda said, as long as it is mine, not someone else’s summary of what I said.”
The committee granted her request to review the materials and reconvened after the break to continue the proceedings. Her testimony continues.
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