Written by: Mama A. Touray
Alhaji Mamadi Kurang, former secretary to the Janneh Commission, has reported a profit of D5.5 million from the sale of 42 tractors, despite admitting to undervaluing two others. This disclosure was made during his second appearance before the National Assembly Special Select Committee on the sale and disposal of assets identified by the Janneh Commission.
Kurang began his testimony by admitting he undervalued two scrap tractors. One, with a reserve price of D30,000, was sold for D25,000, and the other, valued at D20,000, was sold for D10,000.
Regarding the remaining 42 tractors, Kurang stated that they had a combined reserve price of D4.9 million but were sold for a total of D10.5 million.
“Total within those three days of sales was D10,572,000 while the reserve price was D4,974,000. That is a gain of 5.5 million above the reserve price,” he explained.
He further outlined specific sales that led to this surplus. According to a report prepared under his direction, on 25 June 2018, a tractor with a reserve value of D75,000 was sold to Jah Oil for D1.2 million.
“We sold it for 1.2 million because the tractor looked like a used one parked in the bush, but for some reason, companies were interested in this particular tractor. So when the auctioneer looked at me, I told him to keep ringing the bell until the amount reached D1.2 million,” he testified.
Kurang added that the auctioneer told him he could not recall any government vehicle ever being sold at such a high price during an auction. He noted that even the commissioners were surprised.
“Out of the list of 44 items, the commissioners asked me to justify how a tractor could be sold at that price. They searched the internet and found that the cost of a new tractor was not far from what we sold the used one for,” he said.
“They had doubts whether this was a true payment,” Kurang added, explaining that the commissioners questioned the valuer who set the original reserve price. He claimed the commissioners and lead counsel nearly halted the transaction.
“We spent a whole day on this. At some point, I was pissed off. But the lead counsel told the commissioners that they had no legal basis to stop a transaction that had already taken place. This was a proud moment for me and the team. We didn’t play any game, we played by the rules,” he stated.
The report also cited other profitable sales, including one on 24 June 2018 at the Sibanor Police Station, where a tractor with a reserve price of D80,000 was sold for D400,000.
“They saw the tractor, were satisfied with its condition, competed for it, and the man who paid the highest bid won,” Kurang explained.
Another tractor with a reserve price of D75,000 was sold for D451,000 to an agricultural company.
In Kotu, Kurang said serious buyers emerged. Adama Sallah from Lamtoro paid D665,000 for a tractor, while Hadim Gaye bought two others for D700,000 and D650,000 respectively.
“In Kotu, there were serious buyers,” he said.
He also highlighted the sale of a Mahindra tractor described as “scarab” (scrap or non-functioning), which had been parked at the Brikama Police Station. It had a reserve price of D2,500 but was sold for D15,000, earning a D12,500 gain.
