By Lamin Njie
Former AFPRC spokesperson Ebou Jallow Friday lashed out at the Barrow administration after it gave him a 30-day ultimatum to pay back 1.6 billion dalasis out of 1.7 billion that Taiwan gave to The Gambia.
Mr Jallow in 1995 fronted negotiations that saw Taiwan give The Gambia a loan of $35,000,000 (1.7 billion dalasis).
The Barrow administration says $32,220,000 of the sum can’t be accounted for and it has held Mr Jallow and two former AFPRC members responsible.
“Mr Ebou Jallow, Mr Edward Singhatey and Mr Yankuba Touray are hereby ordered to pay back to the state the sum of $32,220,000 within 30 days from the publication of this white paper failing which their properties shall be forfeited to the state and sold.
“The proceeds of sale shall be applied to the payment of the monies for which they are found to be liable in the report, in addition to criminal proceedings to be initiated against them,” the Barrow administration said on Friday in a white paper that was released alongside the Janneh Commission’s report.
Mr Jallow reacted to the move late Friday telling The Fatu Network: “Five million was given to me. I flew with the five million and brought it back to the Gambia.
“Now to claim that 32 million… That is ridiculous because the money was deposited in Gambia’s account in Citibank and it was controlled by the Central Bank.
“So I have no idea what these people are trying to achieve. And besides, I am not interested in any public office in The Gambia. But that can be challenged in court and it will be thrown out.”
