By Fatou Sowe
The managing director of Skye Bank, Mr Doyin Adegbulugbe has informed the commission of inquiry probing into the financial dealings of former President Jammeh that the Gambia National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has four accounts with his bank.
He revealed that the corporation has two US dollar accounts, a dalasi and pound sterling account with his bank.
Mr Adegbulugbe was recalled to the commission to produce documents on the bank accounts of Gambia National Petroleum Corporation.
He disclosed that the dalasi account was opened in 2012 and at the time of the opening the signatories were Teneng Ba Jaiteh, Momodou OS Badjie and Fafa Sanyang (current Energy Minister). According to him the shareholders of GNPC are the Gambia Government 80%, NAWEC 10% GAMTEL 4%, GIA 3% and GPA 3% and is as per the memorandum of association.
He further produced the account opening information with respect to the dalasi account and statements of accounts from 1st January, 2012 to 21st August 2017.
Account opening information and statements of accounts were admitted as evidence. He said one US dollar account was opened at first and that the second one was opened on the 30th May, 2012 with the same signatories as the dalasi account.
However, he said on the 13th August, 2013, the bank received a letter instructing the change of signatories to ex- President Jammeh and Momodou Saballly and the change was effective the next day.
Mr. Adegbulugbe further testified that at the time of changing the signatories the balance in the account was $4, 215, 329.28.
While giving evidence on the withdrawals that were made on the second dollar account number 1770031538 the witness disclosed that a cash withdrawal of $650,000 was done by Momodou Sabally on the 14th of August 2013 and on the 16th of August of the same year, Sabally withdrew the sum $150,000.
He adduced that there was another cash withdrawals of $650,000 on the 20th August, 2015 by Madun Sanyang. There was another withdrawal of $450,000 and $100,000 by Madun Sanyang again. On the 23rd of September, 2013, the bank received instructions from Office of the President (OP) signed by Momodou Sabally and the ex-President to the transfer of the sum of $224, 900 from this dollar account to the Organization of Islamic Corporation (OIC).
According to Skye Bank boss there was another withdrawal of $200,000 in December by one Sanna Jarjue; adding that the sum of $77,288 was debited in July 2015 to BPI Tourism and Services.
He highlighted among other transfers made to individuals like Teneng Camara, Ahmed Gitteh and Sheikh Omar Bittaye as tuition fees and stipends among other enterprises from this account.
