Posted by By Dawda Faye
Lt. Colonel Musa Jammeh of the Gambia Armed Forces earlier today on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. General Masanneh Kinteh, appeared before the Janneh Commission in connection to salaries and allowances paid to former army officers.
According to Jammeh, retired Captain Edward Singhateh received the sum of over D249,000 from 1st of May, 1994, to December, 1996, while Captain Yankuba Touray was paid the sum of D393,833.70 from the period 1st of May, 1994, to December, 1996. He said Captain Ebou Jallow was paid the sum of D116, 404.40 from 1st May, 1994, to 31st December, 1995.
At this juncture, Mrs. Bensouda asked him why was Ebou Jallow called captain and not retired captain, he responded that Captain Jallow did not retire from the army but he disserted.
Further testifying before the commission, he revealed that Retired Captain Lamin Kabba Bajo, received over D237,000 from May, 1994, to 31st of December,1996. Documents relating to the salaries and allowances of 10 ex-army officers were tendered and admitted in evidence. A letter written by the witness to the secretary of the commission on the said subject matter was also admitted by the commission.
Aisha Fatty was mentioned during the proceedings of the commission on properties owned by the former military aide and commander of the State Guard Battalion, Saul Badjie.
It was revealed to the Janneh Commission by Inspector Lamin Sanneh of the Gambia Police Force (GPF) that one of the properties at Bijilo was managed by Aisha Fatty. The commission therefore deemed it prudent to hear her testimony on the said property prior to admitting any document relating to the said property. She was then accordingly summoned to face the commission and narrate her story.
On the day of Ms. Fatty’s appearance, she told the commission that she lives at Bijilo and has a fashion shop and a cosmetic shop called Metro. However, before she continued her evidence, Barrister C.E Mene announced his representation for the witness.
At this juncture, commission’s chairman, Sourahata Janneh said they received a letter through the secretary of the commission to the attention of the chairman. He said he read it and wanted Counsel Mene to confirm that he was asking for the sittings to be heard in camera (out of public hearing).
He consequently ordered that they would retire to chambers and would be ready in 15 minutes. The matter was later heard in chambers.
Ms. Fatty confirmed that she was asked to vacate the said property by the Registrar General. She said she did not vacate the property because it belongs to her family.
According to her, she was working as a Protocol Officer at the office of the former president from December 2013 to December 2015. When asked if she had an appointment letter, she responded in the affirmative.
At this juncture, Counsel Bensouda told her that she was required to provide her appointment letter and business registration certificates. She added that she told Lt. Buba Jammeh that she earlier got a property at Sukuta but was duped, noting that Lt. Buba Jammeh told her that Saul Badjie would be able to help her.
She revealed that Saul Badjie was informed and he asked where the property was located, and was told by Saul Badjie that he would be of help, and showed her a plot of land. She said Saul Badjie asked her where she would want the property to be situated, and she told him that she would want it to be situated within Senegambia.
She said subsequently Saul Badjie told her about a land at Bijilo costing D450,000 which she bought, noting that her family agreed to contribute after informing them about the land. She adduced that she was not happy because the contractor was not regular at work and was very slow. She then engaged another contractor by the name Talla Barry of Manjai who completed the work while the first contractor was terminated.
On how she came to know Lt. Buba Jammeh, she said she knew him at State House as Head of Intelligence, office of the former president. General Saul Badjie told her that they had a transfer from the ‘alkalo’ in her name, but she never saw the transfer.
She disclosed that she paid the said sum in 2014; adding that Saul Badjie gave her no receipt. She went on to say that the permanent secretary, Ministry of Lands, Buba Sanyang, in 2016 was doing the transfer of ownership but never gave her any document to sign.
However, Mrs. Bensouda told her that the PS does not deal with the transfer of ownership of lands, noting that she banked with Guaranty Trust Bank and her salary as Protocol Officer was between D8,000 and D10,000. She revealed that she paid about D100,000 for the fence and foundation, further stating that she built the foundation around 2014 and was completed in 2016.
Ms. Fatty confirmed that D2.3 million was the cost of the building. At this juncture, Counsel Bensouda asked her whether she had a contract with Talla Barry. In response, she said she has the contract at home and could produce it; adding that she paid Talla Barry D2.2 million for completing the storey building.
Sitting continues.