Written by: Seringe S.T. Touray
Editor-in-Chief, The Fatu Network
Nandu Rajwani, Chief Executive Officer of EMK Stores Limited, told the Local Government Commission of Inquiry on Thursday, July 10, that he paid a total of 20 million dalasis for land in Banjul with the full knowledge of Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe — a claim that directly contradicts the mayor’s earlier testimony.
Rajwani appeared before the commission to testify in a widening probe into controversial land transactions involving the Banjul City Council (BCC). His testimony centres around two land allocations — one behind the National Assembly and a second on Bond Road — which he said were both facilitated through an intermediary, Chabell Elhajj, whom he described as “the middle agent.”
According to Rajwani, the initial deal began in 2019 when Elhajj approached him with a land allocation letter purportedly issued by BCC. “The gentleman, Shar, he came with an allocation letter in his company name. He said he had land to sell to me. We negotiated the price and he gave me the letter,” Rajwani told the commission.
Rajwani said that, based on this initial contact, he agreed to a price of 15 million dalasis and signed a formal agreement with Elhajj’s company, C Consulting Ltd. The deal was documented in a written contract dated 14 May 2019.
“When we had a lease for the first land, which was behind the National Assembly, our work was stopped,” Rajwani said. “I went to the mayor to ask her what was happening. She promised me that another land would be allocated.”
He told the commission that Mayor Lowe herself instructed him to pay an additional five million dalasis for the larger Bond Road plot, bringing the total to 20 million. “Yes, the mayor told me to pay five million extra. She confirmed it,” he said.
Rajwani said all payments were routed through Elhajj, sometimes by cheque and sometimes in cash. He explained that on some occasions, he issued “open cheques” at Elhajj’s request — cheques with no named recipient — which Elhajj could then cash or deposit.
Pressed on why such informal arrangements were used for such large sums, Rajwani said, “Maybe they didn’t want to show how much they sold the land for. That’s between them.” He added: “I was not thinking this thing would take me up to here. I thought it was an easy job.”
When asked whether BCC was officially aware of the payments, Rajwani insisted they were. “The mayor knows everything about it. She knows the full 20 million was paid,” he claimed. “We used to call her after payments were made to inform her, and she would say ‘OK, OK.’”
However, Mayor Lowe had appeared before the commission two weeks earlier and denied any knowledge of Rajwani’s payments. “I don’t know who Mr. Rajwani is,” she told the commission. “All I know is that the Council allocated the land to Mr. Elhajj and entered into a lease agreement with him for two million dalasis. What happened between him and Mr. Rajwani, I have no idea.”
The mayor insisted that no land was sold for D20 million through her or the council, and denied giving instructions to transfer the lease to EMK Stores. When asked why EMK Stores — not Elhajj — appeared on the lease, she said: “That was a mistake from the council staff. The council has written to the Ministry of Lands to correct it.”
Counsel Patrick Gomez pressed her further: “You say you don’t know Mr. Rajwani, yet the lease was issued directly to his company. How do you explain that?” Lowe responded: “I only came to know about him after hearing a voice note he sent. Prior to that, I had no dealings with him.”
Rajwani’s testimony also revealed that despite paying the full amount and receiving lease documents, his company was unable to develop the land due to environmental restrictions. The National Environment Agency (NEA) reportedly blocked the development over flood risks and environmental concerns at both the National Assembly and Bond Road sites.
Frustrated, Rajwani’s lawyers wrote several letters to BCC between 2022 and 2023, requesting alternative land or a refund. One letter dated April 5, 2023, from Edrissa Drammeh & Associates stated: “Despite the signing of the lease agreement… and the payment of the agreed sums, our client has not been able to have the use of the land.”
Another letter, dated September 29, 2022, said EMK Stores had incurred “substantial losses” and requested a refund of 35 million dalasis, citing inflation, project delays, and opportunity cost. “Our client applied for a development permit… but was denied clearance. The land is no longer suitable or available for the intended purpose,” it read.
During questioning, Counsel Gomez raised concerns over the informality of the transactions and why payments were not made directly to the council. Rajwani said he was primarily focused on acquiring the land, not tracing the funds, and speculated: “Maybe BCC didn’t want to show how much they sold the land for. I don’t know. My goal was to get the land, not to follow the money.”
He admitted that he could not guarantee all funds were transferred to BCC, saying: “I don’t know what they discussed. That’s between them. I was just trying to get my papers.”
Rajwani is expected to return to the commission on Monday with receipts and documentation of the alleged payments, including proof of bank transfers and cheques. The commission will compare his records against earlier testimony provided by Elhajj and Mayor Lowe.
Mayor Lowe, who maintains she was not involved in any financial dealings with Rajwani, is also scheduled to reappear before the inquiry to address contradictions between her testimony and the claims now made by the businessman.
The Local Government Commission of Inquiry, which began in 2023, is investigating irregularities in land allocation, financial mismanagement, and procurement within local councils. The unfolding revelations in the EMK-BCC land case have quickly become one of the inquiry’s most controversial focal points.
