Former senior officials of the ousted Jammeh government Momodou Sabally, Secretary General, Fatou Lamin Faye, Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Buba I Demba, Chief of Protocol and Muhammed Sarja Jawara, Deputy Chief of Protocol Office of the President appeared before the commission of inquiry probing into financial activities of the former President and his close associates.
Former Secretary General Sabally said once a person was appointed as Secretary General, you become signatory by default to all the accounts under the Office of the former President. He was questioned about D3 Million Dalasi withdrawn from the Mobilization Account for the state visit of Goodluck Jonathan, former Nigerian President. He confirmed being a co signatory.
Sabally said he does not know what the former president used all the monies withdrawn from this account for but was privy to some of the spending to musicians, well wishers and state functions among others.
“I know the former president was a very complex person and would not want to make speculation that could be use against me later,” Former SG Sabally said.
When asked by Counsel Amie Bensouda about his authorization of $610, 000 US Dollars from the International Gateway Account at the Central Bank which he said was used to purchase ‘Tobaski Rams’. He said he does not know whether the money was refunded because he was fired before the subsequent Tobaski. It was put to him that the suggestion came from him in a letter to the former president to withdraw the said amount for the sale of rams.
“Was it right to spent an executive time on the sale of rams,” Commissioner Bai Mass Saine asked.
Sabally admitted it was wrong to spent executive time on the sale of rams.
“What agreement have you given that money to the former president,” Commissioner Saine further asked. “He borrowed it to himself,” Sabally responded.
Commissioner Saine questioned him about the rationale behind borrowing something to someone that does not belong to him to help people.
“To your information that money was never refunded,” Saine told him.
Lawyer Bensouda further questioned him about his authorization of $250, 000 US Dollars which was received by Sana Jarju, former Chief of Protocol Officer of the former President.
Sabally in respond said the money was handed to the former president but could not provide any documental evidence, saying he never took any document from the Office of the former President to his house for his own personal safety.
“I was arrested at the middle of the night with handcuff by NIA officials who were looking for documents in my house,” Former SG Sabally asserted.
“I was not waiting to be accounted after Jammeh but was thinking he was going to accused me of wrong doing,” he added.
Former SG Sabally was also questioned about the withdrawal of D36 Million Dalasi from the International Gateway Account at the Central Bank. It was put to him that five transactions were made without following the proper procedure. He said the memos were used for temporal measures which was never regularized.
Fatou Lamin Faye, former Minister of Basic and Secondary Education MoBSE was summoned in respect to her signatory to the Mobilization Account. She said the account was opened for the state visit of the Taiwanese President. The former president, she said directed her to be signatory to the account.
She was questioned about the D22 Million Dalasi spent on the July 22 Celebration which she submitted cheques, invoices and vouchers as evidence.
The documents were admitted and marked as exhibits.
Ms Faye said she does not keep track of the D3 Million Dalasi for the state visit of Goodluck Jonathan, former Nigerian president.
Buba I Demba, former Chief of Protocol Officer at the Office of the former President was the next witness.
Demba said he has never worked at the civil service until 2014 when he was appointed protocol officer at the office of the former president where he rose through the ranks to become chief of protocol. He said he went with the former president to Equatorial Guinea with the former First Family, securities, cooks, stewards and photographers among others. He mentioned the names of General Badjie, Umpah Mendy, Wandifa Barrow, Ansumana Tamba and former steward Modou Lamin Jarju among the people who went with the former president to Equatorial Guinea.
Demba included the names of Jimbe Jammeh and Awa Jammeh as part of those who went with the former president into exile. He said he went in his capacity as chief of protocol to facilitate the stay of the former president. He said they were staying in a hotel.
“I came back on a commercial flight funded by the host country,” Former Chief Protocol Demba said.
He was questioned about receiving $750,000 US Dollars from the Central Bank authorized by Momodou Sabally. He said he was directed by Sabally with a memo to go and received the money which was handed to Sabally.
Demba was further questioned about the cheque of D1.7 Million Dalasi which he said was a travel expense of the former president to attend an OIC conference in Turkey.
Meanwhile, Muhammed Sarja Jawara, Deputy Chief of Protocol at the Office of the former president was next to testify. He was questioned in respect to substantial amounts of money that he received in Euros and CFA currencies. He said he was directed by Momodou Sabally.
