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The security task force comprising of the State Intelligence Services, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and Police have conducted a joint investigations on government properties at the Brufut Gardens Estate.
Sergeant Ebrima Bah of the Serious Crime Unit of the Gambia Police Force reported dozens of abandoned apartments without trace of occupants at the estate.
Sergeant Bah made the revelations among others before the commission of inquiry probing into the financial dealings of the former president at the Djembe Beach Hotel, Kololi.
A Task force fact finding report with recommendations was submitted and marked as exhibit.
Sergeant Bah said Mr Alhagie Ousman Ceesay, fomer Chief of Protocol who is also President Barrow’s Chief of Protocol authorized various apartments under the instructions of the former president likewise Sana Jarju, former Protocol Officer at the Office of the former President.
The report revealed 12 apartments were authorized by Muhammed Bazzi, a Lebanese business tycoon while some of the apartments were occupied by the brother of the former First Lady, a Nigerian Judge who left during the impasse and a Moroccan national who died in a car accident among others.
According to Sergeant Bah, all these people were occupying the apartments without paying rent.
“Nobody was taking care of the place for maintenance,” Sergeant Ebrima Bah said.
Sergeant Bah said the task force made efforts to call Alhagie Ceesay to ask him some questions but they couldn’t reach him as he was out of the jurisdiction at that time. He added that they tried calling Muhammad Bazzi too, but were told he is out of the country.
Meanwhile, evictions were part of the recommendations made by the task force to be replaced by tenants who would pay rent to generate revenue for the state.
