Gumbo - ‘I Feel Justified’

“I maintain that all I said was the truth, it was the actual truth and nothing but the truth,” Mr Gumbo Touray assertively said, marking the end of his marathon, revealing testimony.

“If what Dr Tangara [the higher education minister] said is the case, that ‘vice chancellor of The Gambia’s University may be good lecturer but a bad administrator…,’ I feel justified that I stood for the national interest, and for under privileged.”

He was wrapping up his defence at the magistrates’ court in Banjul against the false allegation charge levied against him.

Gumbo Touray was a lecturer and director of International Affairs of University of The Gambia. He was suspended and later dismissed, but said this was wrongful, and according to him, the first Gambian-born Vice Chancellor, Prof Kah, was responsible.

Mr Touray was put on trial when he petitioned Prof Kah to President Jammeh, who doubles as chancellor of the UTG, accusing that Kah wastes university’s scarce resources, and disregards the UTG authority in making appointments and promotions which mostly favours his friends and relatives.

“I totally disagree that I had given false information to the president,” Gumbo reiterated.

“I had written to the president in his capacity as the head of the UTG to complain and seek redress on what was unfair suspension and termination of my services by the Vice Chancellor.”

He said Prof Kah dissolved UTG’s exam and evaluation committee, promotion committee, staff association and staff loan account committee.

“I was a senior member of the UTG’s management. We all took the UTG as national pride,” he added, “but it was disheartening that such a national institution was being eroded.”

According to him, standards at the UTG were falling and as a concerned employee, he could not sit idly by, without reporting the matter to relevant authorities.

“I was further concerned that the UTG has to maintain its credibility…Given this calamity of what was happening and by virtue of my responsibility as the director of international affairs, I was duty bound to convey the state of the UTG to the visiting National Assembly Members.”

In his earlier testimony, Gumbo told the court that Prof Kah was supposed to receive $53, 400 equivalent to D1million and D600 as stipulated in the contract document.

However, he said, “according to the NDEA report, Prof. Kah receives 3.5 million dalasi.

“There is discrepancy, and if the vice chancellor is not supposed to received 3.5 million, it’s therefore a clear case of dishonest established.”

The case resumes July 9, for the prosecution to cross-examine Gumbo Touray.