Mambury Njie, former Minister of Finance has appeared before the commission of inquiry probing into the financial activities of the former president and his close associates.
Mambury Njie told the commission that he is currently the Managing Director of the Gambia National Petroleum Corporation GNPC.
Mr Njie has also served as Secretary General under the previous government was summoned in respect to his signatory on the accounts which he said he could not recall without documents. He was referred to the State Aircraft and Mobilization Accounts. He confirmed his signatures on the two accounts.
Njie told the commission that the State Aircraft Account was opened after the former president informed him about a grant from the Kingdom of Qatar to purchase a state aircraft and was asked to be signatory to the account.
“I insisted it should be channeled through the Directorate of the Treasury,” former Finance Minister Njie said.
Mambury Njie said he verbally advised the former president not to become signatory to the account. He said the former president insisted to be a signatory to the account, saying the request was made by him. The former Finance Minister maintained his signatory to the account was normal due to the circumstances prevailing at the time.
“I thought it was normal for the minister to be signatory,” he asserted.
Njie reasserted that the aircraft was not owned by the former president but it belongs to the state.
When asked whether a follow up was made to ensure the right procedure was followed he answered in the negative, saying the follow up entirely lies on the directorate of treasury.
Njie said he was not aware of the withdrawals of €4 Million Euros and €1.5 Million Euros from the State Aircraft Account at the Central Bank.
When asked by counsel about the acquisition of Boeing 757 Aircraft, Coach Buses and other luxuries acquired by former president he said he has no idea but was informed that it was from his personal money.
Njie further said he was not aware of the former president buying luxury cars from the Global Trading.
The former Finance Minster was questioned about the Mobilisation Account opened at the Guaranty Trust Bank. He confirmed his signatory on the account. He said the account was prompted by the presidential inauguration in 2012.
He spoke about the national organizing committee which his ministry and other ministries have participated in. He said there was a budget shortage and it was suggested to make private resource mobilization. He added that the purpose was only for the inauguration.
When asked by Counsel Amie Bensouda whether state ministers were supposed to be signatories to accounts in accordance to the constitution he answered in the negative but said it was due to the circumstances prevailing at the time.
He was told to return to the commission on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, two former Regional Governors, Lamin SI Jammeh of North Bank Region and Salifu Puye of Lower River Region also testified before the commission. They were summoned in respect to the D600, 000 Dalasi received from the Central Bank for sale of meat in their regions. The request is said to have come from the Office of the former President.
Sergeant Major Yankuba Colley, former Orderly of General Saul Badjie also testified before the commission. He confirmed the testimony of Lieutenant Nuha William Jammeh that he used to him unloading bags of money to the office of General Saul Badjie. Though, he has never witnessed the General counting the monies.
Colley said he is now posted at the Farafenni Barracks as a Company Sergeant Major CSM.
Meanwhile, Nuha William Jammeh, former Military Police Commander at State House was the next witness. He said he is a relative of the former president Yahya Jammeh. He claimed that he has seen General Badjie on several times carrying bags of money to the office of the former president.
“You alone have transported over D200 Million Dalasi to General Badjie,” Lawyer Amie Bensouda told him.
She added:”That was more than monies allocated for ministries “.
The witness was asked about his state of mind when carrying bags of money from the public funds to a top military aide of the former president.
Lieutenant Jammeh who was calculative in his testimony said it was his belief that the monies were used for national development.
Meanwhile, the sittings were adjourned till Monday.
