(JollofNews) – Two former senior Gambian officials who wilfully and recklessly caused huge monetary lost to the government were yesterday fined over D15 million by a special criminal court in Banjul.
Yusupha M. Jaiteh and Abdoulie Dibba, who served as acting financial director and commercial director at the country’s Asset Management and Recovery Corporation (AMRC), were found guilty of selling rice and cement between 2009 and 2010 to various individuals on credit without proper collaterals, causing a monetary lost D15, 450, 000 to the state.
The men were also found guilty of awarding themselves government loans amounting to D67, 200,000 on behalf of the corporation without the necessary approval of their board of directors.
Assets Management and Recovery Corporation (AMRC) was set up in 1992 by former regime of Sir Dawda Jawara to deals in Gambian land sale tenders for re-possessed plots, houses, commercial buildings and other assets on behalf of the government.
Both Jaiteh and Dibba have worked for the corporation since its inception.
In his verdict, the president judge, Justice Amadi said after taking into consideration the huge financial lost the two men caused to the state, it is proper that they repay the full amount to the state or spend six years behind bars.
Lamin Camara, defending, said Jaiteh and Dibba were first time offenders with a combined career of over 50 years.
He said the men are breadwinners and heads of their families with several children.
He said the men are very remorseful and had not personally benefitted from the offences which they were convicted of.
He prayed to the court to issue a fine instead of a custodial sentence on them.
