(JollofNews) – The ongoing commission of inquiry into the financial activities of former President Jammeh and his associates Wednesday heard more testimonies on how the country’s former long-term ruler and one of his aide, General Saul Badjie drained millions of different currencies from the Central Bank of the Gambia.
Giving evidence before a three-member panel headed by Surahata Janneh, Lt Colonel Momodou Lamin Mendy recounted how he was directed by General Badjie to withdraw millions in hard currencies from the central bank.
Mendy revealed that in one of such errands, he was on 10th November 2015 sent by General Badjie to make a cash withdrawal of US$100, 000 from the Vision 2016 account held at the central bank.
He added that after collecting the cash from the bank, he would hand it over to General Badjie but cannot say whether President Jammeh did receive any of the cash.
He said General Badjie was his superior in the military and per force policy he had to execute whatever directives he was given.
Also testifying before the commission, a former National Assembly member for Foni Jarrol and former deputy chief of protocol, Borry L.S Colley.
He said in October 2015, he was asked by President Jammeh to go the central bank and collect money from the governor.
“I rushed to the bank and they prepared some documents which I was asked to sign. They also copied my identity card before I was given the cash which I gave to President Jammeh,” he said.
The commission also heard from Njoba Sankareh, a former principal currency officer at the central bank, who recounted how she was made by her seniors to authorised the cash withdrawals of millions in hard currencies from the bank outside working times.
She said the finance and banking directors of the bank would often ask her outside working hours to approve the withdrawals before going into the vault to collect the cash.
She added that in one such transactions, one and half million Euros was taken from the vault.
Many are “sheltering” behind the real sense of fear they felt at the time, and claim to have been operating under duress (and we can understand this), but there is complicity here, and it will be interesting to see what the commission would recommend in its final report.
In the mean time, what is clear is that our Constitution would need to clearly redefine the relationship between our Chief Executive (President) and the Armed Forces, in particular. The separation of powers will make no sense, and practically impossible to implement, if so much power, impacting every sector of central and local government, continues to be concentrated and wielded by the executive.
I don’t think anyone will need to stress the urgency of addressing the concept of ORDER and OBEYANCE, and how this is understood within the Armed Forces, especially the GNA. The testimonies of our men in uniform before the commission, does seem to suggest that this is an area that the currently launched Security Sector Reform cannot ignore.
As a citizen from Holland who tries to help Gambian familys whit goods to give them
a beter life it is shamefull to hear in these news reports what former president
Jammeh has stolen with his companions in crime.
They were elected by The people and they stole from the same people.
The Gambia was ruled by the maffia.
I feel sorry for all those friendly Gambians steeking for a beter life.
I hope President Barrow rules Gambia inti a beter era .Help HIM.
Regards ! Gerard Mulder Holland