Alex DaCosta in court

Alex Dacosta, the senior communications officer at the Gambia Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA), yesterday gave his evidence in-chief in the ongoing criminal case involving Mam Sait Ceesay, former press officer at the Office of the President and also former editor-in-chief of the Daily Observer newspaper company.

In his evidence before senior magistrate Kayode Olajubutu of the Banjul Magistrates Court, Alex Dacosta recalled on 7 September, 2007, when he received a phone call from one of his friends, who extended a congratulatory message to him for being appointed the director of press and public relations at the Office of the President at State House, Banjul.

According to Mr Dacosta, the said phone call left him bewildered, as he was surprised by the information about a new appointment, which he claimed to have no knowledge of.

He added that he was further shocked when the same friend also told him that the said appointment was published in the Daily Observer newspaper.

"I personally confirmed the story in the Daily Observer, but I was not happy because I believe if anyone is to be appointed to such a position, you either have to have a discussion or receive appointment letter to that effect. But such was not the case in this issue," Mr Dacosta told the court.

At that juncture, the defence counsel, Antouman Gaye, objected to the witness giving evidence touching on the content of the said publication in the Daily Observer, arguing that the witness should not give evidence on "a document which is yet to be tendered" as an exhibit in court.

The prosecution officer, Inspector Touray, tendered a copy of the publication, which was admitted and marked as exhibit (ID 1).

At that juncture, the presiding magistrate Olajubutu adjourned the case to March 24 for a cross-examination of the PW1 (Alex Dacosta).