by ‘Jola Sotubo

The trial has begun in the case of a Gambian chef which allegedly caused President Goodluck Jonathan to go through a bout of food poisoning after serving him contaminated food.

President Jonathan stayed at Coco Ocean, a five star hotel, during a 2-day state visit last month and was said to have been served with the food which was stale.

The case is being heard by a Gambian Magistrate Court at the Kanifing Municipal Council before which the chef of the hotel, Ayoub Aliris, is being charged with negligence.

Leadership reports:

Jonathan was said to have been served with food that had been preserved for a long period, causing him food poisoning during his two-day state visit in Gambia in November 2013.

The Gambian police is said to have charged the chef of Coco Ocean Hotel, Ayoub Aliris, with negligence and food poisoning on Jonathan and his delegation.

But Aliris denied the charge when he appeared before the Principal Magistrate, Sheriff Tabally.

According to the police charge sheet, Aliris was said to have unlawfully or negligently cooked prawns served to Jonathan and his entourage as a starter during a special lunch hosted in honour of the visiting Nigerian president.

Lawyer to the plaintiff, Edward Singhateh, was also informed at the court premises that his client, Aliris, was arrested again for the second time after his release from the police custody.

The plaintiff was said to be under the custody of the National Intelligence Agency, but was later transferred to the State Central Prison Mile Two.

Jonathan was caught in a glare of media publicity over a “stomach upset” he suffered and was forced to enter a hospital in London to seek medical attention.

A prosecution witness, Babucarr Gomez, also a cook at Coco Ocean, explained that a day after the lunch, he received a call from his boss informing him that there was an infection in the food served to the Nigerians.

Gomez, who said he was ordered by Aliris to prepare the food, said he also ate it and was “vomiting, experienced stomach ache and frequented the toilet.”