BREAKING NEWS:EAW HALF A MILLION DOLLARS LAW SUIT AGAINST THE GAMBIA GOVERNMENT IN HIGH GEARS!!!! AMBASSADOR JOHNSON GRILLED BY EAW LAWYER
  It would be recalled that the EAW Group, INC, sued the Jammeh government for breach of contract and loss of earnings. The lobby firm is claiming half a million dollars damages it suffered during the period in question. It is reported that the Gambia government refused to honour its contractual agreement with the firm, which resulted to the plaintiff dragging the government to court.
   
  Top government officials, were lined up to testify in the said civil suit, which attracted Gambian foreign diplomats. Ambassador John P Bojang, Crispin Grey-Johnson and James Kujabi,former Deputy Protocol officer at the office of the President were summoned to testify in court. The US court has started hearing testimonies from witnesses. One of them is Ambassador Johnson. Our Washington, DC Legal Affairs Correspondent was able to lay his hands on the proceedings of the said case and he now files this report. Below is the verbatim report of the court proceedings. The Freedom Newspaper, is your leading and most authoritative news medium. Please read on....
   
  IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
EAW GROUP, INC.,
Plaintiff,
v. : Case NO. 1:02Cv02425
THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA, : (GK)
Defendant.

Pages 1 -358

Deposition of Crispin Grey-Johnson
Washington, D.C.
Monday, November 28, 2005
9:38 a.m.
Reported by: Marian E. Cummings, Notary Public
Job No.: 171443



Question who specifically would have been involved for that? 
Answer: it would have been the ambassador. 

Question And who was that at that time? 
Answer: John P. Bojang. 

Question Are you familiar with an individual named Paul Morgan? 
Answer: No. 

Question A company called American commodity Assocates? 
Answer: No. 

Question what about a lobbyist by the name of Edward von Kloberg? 
Answer: Yes. 

Question And how do you know him? 
Answer: He was a lobbyist for us before Mr. Aycoth. 

Question So he was a lobbyist for The Gambia before Mr. Aycoth? 
Answer: Yes. 

Question Did you have any interaction with him? 
Answer: Yes. 

Question why would you have interaction with him? 
Answer: Because I was ambassador here when he was on. 

Question So what year do you think that was? 
Answer: Well, I was here for, you know, the period '97 to '99 during the time he was engaged by us. 

Question Was Von Kloberg, was he working for The Gambia during that entire time? 
Answer: Yes, I think he was. 

Question Do you recall the name of Mr. Von Kloberg's company? 
Answer: No. 

Question Do you think it was the Washington world Group? 
Answer: It was the Washington world Group, yes. 

Question what was your opinion of Mr. Von Kloberg? 
Answer: what do you mean? 

Question As far as, well, letTs start professionally, do you think he did a good job in his role? 
Answer: No. 

Question You do not? 
Answer: No. 

Question Why did you not think that? 
Answer: well, the -- what he was supposed to have delivered he did not deliver. 

Question what was he supposed to deliver? 
Answer: The products and the services that he agreed with the government of The Gambia that he would deliver he did not deliver. 

Question Do you recall what products or services he agreed to -- 
Answer: I don't have the details. 

Question Do you recall perhaps anything specific that he agreed to deliver? 
Answer: well, there's a whole range really, you know, of things that was expected of him. 

Question Such as? 
Answer: such as putting us in touch with investors. 

Question Putting The Gambia in touch with investors? 
Answer: Yes, and bringing investors to us, especially in the strategic areas. 

Question what strategic areas? 
Answer: oil and gas, for example. 

Question Any other areas? 
Answer: Manufacturing. 

Question Anything else? 
Answer: Tourism. 

Question Anything else? Feel free to list anything you can think of. 
Answer: Yes. 

Question Is that it? 
Answer: And others, yeah. 

Question I'm just trying to get an idea of what. 
Answer: Agriculture. 

Question Agriculture? 
Answer: Transportation, communications. 

Question And you expected him to achieve certain goals that he agreed to meet as far as these areas? 
Answer: I expected him to bring the investors. 

Question To bring investors? 
Answer: Yeah. 

Question Did he arrange for any meetings with investors? 
Answer: My recollection no, as far as I can remember no. 

Question Did he achieve anything that he agreed to do? 
Answer: well, one wouldn't say that he performed, you know, his performance was completely zero, nil, you can't say that but there's a question of degrees, was it satisfactory, was it above average, was it excellent, you know. 

Question what would you say? 
Answer: I would say it was very unsatisfactory. 

Question Very unsatisfactory? 
Answer: I would say. 

Question Are there specific examples you can recall of why it was very unsatisfactory? 
Answer: He didn't bring the investors. 

Question Now, was it -- would you think it was his responsibility to have The Gambia meet investors or was it his responsibility to have The Gambia enter into actual contracts with investors? 
Answer: I would say both. 

Question You would say both? 
Answer: Yeah. 

Question Now, if he arranged for a meeting, do you recall if he arranged any meetings with investors? 
Answer: I don't remember now but if he did maybe minimal, minimal. 

Question Are there any documents that might help you remember if he arranged any meetings? 
Answer: (shrugging). 

Question You're not sure? Have you seen any of these documents recently regarding von Kloberg? 
Answer: we're talking about a long time ago, six, seven years ago. 

Question This is between '97 and 1999, correct? 
Answer: Yes. 

Question I think you also said that Mr. Von Kloberg was to, in addition to services was supposed to provide The Gambia with goods? 
Answer: Did I say goods? 

Question I believe that's what you said. 
Answer: No, I think I said services. 

Question so only services? 
Answer: Yeah. I don't think I mentioned goods. 

Question Do you know who hired Mr. von Kloberg? 
Answer: The president of The Gambia. 

Question president Jammeh? 
Answer: Yes. 

Question Do you recall what year that was in? 
Answer: No, I don't, I met him here. 

Question How many years did he work for The Gambia? 
Answer: I'm not too sure. 

Question But he was already working for The Gambia when you came on in 1997? 
Answer: Yes. 

Question How did his services for The Gambia end? 
Answer: The contract was terminated, he was not rehired. 

Question He was not rehired. when you say the contract was terminated, what do you mean by that? 
Answer: It was not renewed. 

Question was it allowed to expire? 
Answer: It was allowed to expire. 

Question So it was not terminated before? 
Answer: No. 

Question Before t was supposed to? 
Answer: No. 

Question Do you recall how much Mr. von Kloberg was charging The Gambia for his services? 
Answer: Now I don't recall, no. 

Question Did you ever meet with him? 
Answer: oh yes. 

Question Do you recall how many times you might have met with him? 
Answer: No, I don't recall. 

Question Did you ever visit him in his office? 
Answer: Yes, I did. 

Question where was his office? 
Answer: I think it was on K Street, I'm not too sure now, I don't remember, but I think it was on K Street. 

Question Here in Washington D.C.? 
Answer: Here in Washington D.C. 

Question How many employees did Mr. Von Kloberg have? 
Answer: I'm not too sure. 

Question Do you think it was less than 10? 
Answer: I have no idea. 

Question No idea? 
Answer: No idea. 

Question So you would say you have no recollection of how many? 
Answer: I don't know, I don't know at all how many people he had. 

Question Did you ever meet with anybody else? 
Answer: oh yes, I met with people working for him. 

Question so you say that was -- how many other people do you recall meeting with? 
Answer: I don't remember now. 

Question Is there anything that might help you remember? 
Answer: Perhaps. 

Question Now, you said, do you recall when Mr. Von Kloberg's contract expired with The Gambia? 
Answer: No, not now I don't remember. 

Question were you still -- when you were appointed to work for the united Nations was Mr. Von Kloberg still working for The Gambia? 
Answer: No. 

Question He wasn't, so it was before you were appointed to that position? 
Answer: Yes. 

Question And you were appointed to that position in 2001; is that correct? 
Answer: Yes. 

Question so sometime between 1999 and 2001 is when Mr. Von Kloberg stopped working for The Gambia? 
Answer: Yes, it's reasonable to assume that, yes. 

Question Who told him that he would no longer be working for The Gambia? 
Answer: I have no idea. 

Question was it your responsibility to manage his relationship with The Gambia? 
Answer: My responsibility to manage his relationship with The Gambia, what do you mean by that? 

Question As far as who had direct interaction or who managed Mr. Von Kloberg on behalf of The Gambia, who was his main point of contact with The Gambia? 
Answer: He had several points of contact. 

Question Such as? 
Answer: He dealt with ministers, he dealt with me, he dealt with the president, he dealt with the secretary general, he dealt with several. 

Question And you know he dealt with these people because why, or I guess a better way to phrase that is how do you know that he dealt with these other individuals? 
Answer: Because we talked to each other. 

Question who would talk to each other? 
Answer: we, the officials and I, talked to him. 

Question You would talk to Mr. Von Kloberg about it? 
Answer: or he would talk to me about it. 

Question Did you have any conversations with the president regarding Mr. Von Kloberg? 
Answer: oh yeah, many times. 

Question And what was -- can you recall the substance of any of those conversations? 
Answer: There was so many different things we talked about, i can't precisely say it was exactly this or that or the other. 

Question Let's take a specific example, you said that Mr. Von Kloberg, his performance was very unsati sfactory? 
Answer: As far as I was concerned. 

Question That was your opinion. MR. QUEEN: I'm sorry, did you answer? (Discussion off the record.) BY MR. ATWOOD: 

Question So was it your opinion that Mr. Von Kloberg was very unsatisfactory? 
Answer: It was, yes. 

Question Did the president share in that opinion? 
Answer: well, he must have done because he decided not to renew his contract. 

Question so are you just assuming that or did you ever discuss that with the president? 
Answer: I think if Mr. Von Kloberg were that excellent there would be no reason for us not to renew his contract, isn't that reasonable to assume that? 

Question well, i don't want to assume what's reasonable for the canibian's hiring decisions but x think -- actually, let me scratch that. So you didn't have any discussions about Von Kloberg's performance with the president? 
Answer: I may have done. 

Question But you don't recall any specifics? 
Answer: No, I don't. 

Question Did you tell the president that you believed von Kloberg was doing a very unsatisfactory job? 
Answer: I may have done. 

Question Now, when you say he did a very unsatisfactory job, how long were you working with Mr. Von Kloberg before you formed that opinion? 
Answer: I can't tell you for sure, I can't. It's not something that you wake up with, it builds up. 

Question Right, I understand that. Do you think -- can you estimate how long it took for you to form that opinion? 
Answer: No. 

Question Is there anything that you recall specifically that Mr. Von Kloberg did that was very unsatisfactory? 
Answer: No. 

Question Did the other ministers or other officials that worked for The Gambia share your opinion? 
Answer: I can't tell. 

Question Did you ever discuss your opinion of Mr. von Kloberg with other people at The Gambia? 
Answer: I may have done. 

Question Do you recall who those people might have been? 
Answer: No. 

Question so i think we've established that Mr. Von Kloberg probably stopped working for The Gambia between 1999 and 2001? 
Answer: uh-huh. MR. QUEEN: I'm sorry, you have to answer. THE WITNESS: Yes. 

Question Now, you said that von Kloberg's contract wasn't renewed so therefore he wasn't terminated, he just wasn't rehired? 
Answer: (Nodding). MR. QUEEN: i think that's been asked and answered. BY MR. ATWOOD: 

Question I just want to confirm; is that correct? 
Answer: Yes, I think that's what I said. 

Question Do you recall who told Mr. Von Kloberg that his contract wasn't going to be renewed? 
Answer: No, I donTt. 

Question But it was not you? 
Answer: It wasn't me, I wasn't here, I had left. 

Question where were you? 
Answer: I was in Sierra Leone, as I said. 

Question when was that? 
Answer: I went to Sierra Leone in 1999. 

Question In 1999, so when you left to go to Sierre Leone Mr. Von Kloberg was still working for The Gambia? 
Answer: To the best of my recollection, yes. 

Question And so but after you went there, that's when his contract was not renewed? 
Answer: As far as I know, yes. 

Question okay. Did you, do you know any history about Mr. Von Kloberg was far as before he worked for The Gambia? 
Answer: No. 

Question Did you know he was a convicted felon? 
Answer: No. 

Question Have you learned that since then? 
Answer: I've heard people mention that. 

Question where did you hear that from? 
Answer: I think I first heard it from John Aycoth. 

Question Do you know what Mr. Von Kloberg was convicted of? 
Answer: No. 

Question Do you recall it might have been bank fraud? 
Answer: No. 
Question Do you know if President Jammeh knew that about Mr. Von Kloberg? 
Answer: I don't know. 

Question Now, you said that Mr. Von Kloberg was the lobbyist before Mr. Aycoth, was there anyone else in between Mr. Von Kloberg and Mr. Aycoth working for The Gambia as the lobbyist? 
Answer: I don't know. 

Question Do you know who currently is the lobbyist for The Gambia? 
Answer: NO. 

Question You don't know? 
Answer: No. 

Question who is Richard T. Hines? 
Answer: I've met Richard Hines, yes. 

Question who is he? 
Answer: He's an ex-Senator. 

Question of? 
Answer: I don't know, I hear people calling him, addressing him as senator. 

Question Is that a U.S. Senator? 
Answer: Maybe a state senator, I don't know. 

Question And where have you met him? 
Answer: I met him in New York, I think. 

Question And what's his role, what is Mr. Hines's role? 
Answer: As what? 

Question For The Gambia, is he working on behalf of The Gambia? 
Answer: I don't know. 

Question You don't know? 
Answer: No. 

Question why were you meeting him in New York? 
Answer: I met him in the company of some of the officials of The Gambia. 

Question And was this a meeting? 
Answer: I just met him socially, I was introduced to Mm, that's all. 

Question you met him socially, do you know where that was? 
Answer: I think it was in the president's hotel. 

Question Do you recall when this was? 
Answer: I think it was when the president came for general assembly. 

Question In which year? 
Answer: Last year. 

Question In 2004? 
Answer: In 2004. 

Question So you were meeting with -- it was a social gathering in the presidentTs hotel? 
Answer: No, I didn't say that. 

Question Well, I don't want to put words in your mouth, please tell me what you said. 
Answer: you asked me whether I met Mm, I said I met him socially. 

Question Socially? 
Answer: Yes. 

Question And where was that meeting? 
Answer: I said at the hotel. 

Question At the hotel, and where at the hotel? 
Answer: In one of the rooms in the hotel. 

Question And did you have a conversation with him? 
Answer: Just pleasantries. 

Question Were you told what his position was? 
Answer: No. 

Question Since that time have you learned what his position is? 
Answer: No. 

Question So you're not aware that he's currently the lobbyist for Gambia? 
Answer: No. 

Question Do you agree that he's the lobbyist for The Gambia? 
Answer: I said I don't know. 

Question So you don't know what he does? 
Answer: No. 

Question so you're not aware if he works for The Gambia or not? 
Answer: No. 

Question If there was a lobbyist for The Gambia would you know about it? 
Answer: Possibly. 

Question Possibly, so he could be The Gambia's lobbyist but you wouldn't necessarily know that? 
Answer: Could be. 

Question Do you know where his office is? 
Answer: No. 

Question Have you ever tried to locate his office? 
Answer: No. 

Question Do you know how many employees he has? 
Answer: No, I don't know the man really. 

Question You don't know him on a business level, or just on a social level? 
Answer: I just met him once socially. 

Question So you've only met him once? 
Answer: (Nodding). 

Question Have you ever spoken with him on the phone? 
Answer: No. 

Question So you've only had one conversation with him? 
Answer: I met him once. 

Question Well, have you had any other conversations with him? 
Answer: No. 

Question So you've only had that one conversation? 
Answer: That one conversation. 

Question Do you recall what you talked about then? 
Answer: No, we just exchanged pleasantries, but not a conversation as such. 

Question I just want to make sure here. Have you heard anything as far as -- let me start over there. Have any other Gambian officials spoken to you about Mr. Hines? 
Answer: No. 

Question so the only interaction youTve had with Mr. Hines was this one social brief meeting? 
Answer: Yes. 

Question And you never had any official business with him? 
Answer: Never. 

Question or his company? 
Answer: Never. 

Question Or any employees of his? 
Answer: Never. 

Question Are you aware that Mr. Hines has visited The Gambia? 
Answer: No. 

Question So you're not aware of any visits he's made to The Gambia? 
Answer: No. 

Question what about a visit in June 2004? 
Answer: I don't know about it. 

Question Have you received any news from the united States regarding Mr. Hines? 
Answer: NO. 

Question so you're not aware that the United States sent a cable to The Gambia regarding Mr. I-lines? 
Answer: No. 

Question Now you said he was called a senator, who called him that? 
Answer: He was introduced to me as a senator. 

Question As Senator Hines? 
Answer: (Nodding). 

Question Do you recall who made that introduction? 
Answer: No, I don't recall, no. 

Question Have you ever heard anyone else refer to him as a senator? 
Answer: No. 

Question Is there anything else you can recall about Mr. Hines that we night not have addressed? 
Answer: No. 

Question Now, let's get back to discussing the EAW Group and Mr. Aycoth, are you aware of when EAW Group was initially hired by the Gambia? 
Answer: The date they were hired, no, I don't remember. well, I don't even know when they were hired. 

Question You don't know. when did you first become involved with working with Mr. Aycoth or EAW Group? 
Answer: working with him? 

Question Or had any official business with him? 
Answer: when I moved over to the united States. 

Question And that was in 2001? 

Question Okay. NOW, at that time then what was your expectation of what EAW Group was doing for The Gambia? 
Answer: well, expected that in his capacity as a lobbyist promoting our interests in the united States that perhaps what Ed Von Kloberg failed to do he would be able to do like bring us investments, you know, get people to come into the sectors of our economy of priority, that are of priority, oil and gas. 

Question Now, you said to, I don't want to put words in your mouth but you basically said that EAW Group was hired to do what Von Kloberg couldn't? 
Answer: No, I didn't say that. 

Question okay. could you explain it to me? I'm not trying to put words in your mouth. 
Answer: I didn't say that at all, you asked me to paraphrase what my expectations were. correct. 
Answer: And I said that I expected that he would be able to succeed where Von Kloberg failed to, paraphrase once more. 

Question So you expected EAW Group to succeed where Von Kloberg failed? 
Answer: That's what I expected. 

Question That's what you expected? 
Answer: correct. 

Question what was The Gambia's I guess status with the u.s. government during von Kloberg's, during the period of time Von Kloberg was working for The Gambia? 
Answer: You mean the relationship between the two governments? 

Question Yes. 
Answer: Excellent. 

Question And what administration was in the united States at that time? 
Answer: President Clinton. 

Question president Clinton, so it's your opinion that The Gambia had an excellent relationship with the united States during the Clinton administration? 
Answer: The government of The Gambia and the government of the united states, yes, excellent relation, always had excellent relations. 

Question Okay. So Mr. Von Kloberg wasn't responsible for improving relations, the relationship between The Gambia and the united States? 
Answer: No, the relations between two countries can always be improved, that's the essence of you know diplomatic activities between two nations, it can be strengthened all the time. 

Question But did Mr. Von Kloberg, was that a responsibility that he had, to work on that relationship between the two governments? 
Answer: Everybody working for either party would be working towards the same objective to strengthen the bonds. 

Question But would Mr. von Kloberg be working towards that? 
Answer: He was expected to be doing that also, yes. 

Question So in addition to, say, finding investors he was also responsible for the relationship, for improving the relationship between the united States and The Gambia? 
Answer: Yes, of course. 

Question And how do you think he did in that capacity? 
Answer: well, just like in the other areas, not very well. 

Question Not very well? 
Answer: No. 

Question So just all around he did a -- 
Answer: For me a lousy job, yes. 

Question Now, let's get back to talking about EAW Group. You said when you first began working with them one of your expectations would be that they bring investments to The Gambia. Do you have any specific examples of bringing investments to The Gambia? 
Answer: Yes, I mentioned as an example oil and gas. 

Question can you just list the different sectors that you have in mind as far as where these investments would be? 
Answer: I would have expected he would have done? 

Question Yes. 
Answer: Yes. 
    
Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 (Archive on Monday, February 27, 2006)
Posted by PANDERRYMBAI  Contributed by PANDERRYMBAI
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