Joseph K. Paye, principal of Faith Caring International Daycare Elementary School, has testified that his school received 50 bags of Saudi-donated rice from a team of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA).
Paye appeared as a defense subpoena witness in the ongoing trial at Criminal Court “C” involving the alleged mismanagement of 500,000 bags of Saudi-donated rice.
He told the court that his school was affected by flooding shortly before the start of classes, prompting an NDMA team to visit the campus and collect information about the damage.
“Few days passed, I received a communication from the NDMA team that they wanted to reach me. They came. They met some of my instructors and some of the children,” Paye testified.
He said the team later returned in a white pickup truck bearing the NDMA acronym and delivered 50 bags of rice to the school.
“They came with a pickup with 50 bags of rice and given to the school. I received the 50 bags of rice and the team left,” he said.
During cross-examination, Paye confirmed that he signed for the rice but questioned the document presented in court, saying it did not identify the person who received the bags.
“On this paper I am not seeing where did they say the receiver of the rice. So, how can my signature be here?” he asked.
Answering questions from jurors, Paye said he did not receive a copy of the waybill after collecting the rice on behalf of the school.
“I received 50 bags of rice on behalf of the school and did not receive a copy of the way bill,” he said.
He also told the court that he did not write an official request for assistance to the NDMA, explaining that the agency’s team visited the school on its own.
Paye said the school operates a feeding program that provides meals to students three times daily.
When the judge asked him to describe the vehicle that brought the rice, Paye said it was a white pickup bearing the NDMA acronym. However, he could not recall its license plate number.
“I didn’t focus on the plate because the same team that took my data was the same team that brought the donation. So, I didn’t focus on the plate,” he explained.
Paye said he first met Artifigo Doe when the NDMA team visited his school.
The trial concerns allegations surrounding the handling and distribution of 500,000 bags of rice donated by Saudi Arabia.
