(JollofNews) – Gambia’s Justice Minister, Aboubacarr Tambadou, Monday said he shares concerns raised by Lawyer Amie Bensouda, over a possible in-camera hearing at the commission of inquiry probing allegations of corruption against former President Yahya Jammeh and his associates.
“It potentially sets a dangerous precedent,” Tambadou told journalists during a presser held at his office in Banjul.
Justice Minister’s reactions came in the wake of a request made at the commission of inquiry by a star witness, Muhammed Bazzi, a business tycoon whose financial dealings with former President Jammeh continue to generate headlines.
Mr Bazzi said he wants to give evidence in camera for his own personal safety.
But Mr Tambadou said: “If we allow in-camera proceedings in the commission
sittings it may open the floodgates. But we will have to respect and abide by whatever decision the commission may take.
Meanwhile, the mandate of the commission of inquiry has been extended from three to six months.
Gambians deserve to hear and see the faces of those who are responsible for their plight and suffering. To allow these evil men and women to hide behind closed doors when they tell their lies is unacceptable. The commission must refuse Bazzi’s request and compel him to testify in public.
The mandate for the Corrupt Commission of Inquiry has been extended for another SIX months with a staggering pay increase of D500,000 (five hundred thousand dalasis…half a MILLION Dalasis) for EACH member from our poor parents’ pockets. Just for doing NOTHING and deliberately foot-dragging on their findings by CALLING and RE-CALLING witnesses. A ploy to extend their mandate that would inevitably allow them to receive more money.
That’s how CORRUPT practices flare. They baffle the public opinion by wilfully justifying their “work” that would make all and sundry to agree that it’s a substantiated cause for the matter in question. There is no need to extend the sitting for another SIX months(half a year), that’s till APRIL 2018. It only reflects their INCOMPETENCE!
The bankrupt Commission officials whose law profession didn’t fare well in ordinary life would each have made over D3,000,000(THREE MILLION DALASIS), not including the fringe benefits they have been receiving since the Commission began work this year plus the fat salary they have been allocated.
That’s how a CORRUPT administration CORRUPTS its people!
Babu Lying Soli
Who do you think you are that give you the moral authority to label your fellow brothers and sisters corrupt without providing evidence to back your claim. He/she who think is the best is always the worst. You are definitely a world class idiot, an idiot who doesn’t know when he is talking with the mouth or the anal cavity. A fool in professorial gown.
Koto Babu, all the renumeration you mentioned above is an investment for the Nation. Besides, it is less than a quarter of the $500,000 your boss took from SSHFC to appease the Ghanaian Government for killing their citizens. Koto if I were you I will hang my head in shame having known the little we now know about Jammeh’s financial shenanigans. You are an educated man Koto, so stop embarrassing yourself in front of millions with ridiculous statements that this commission is corrupt simply because they asked for an extension. You know fully well that commissions usually tend to ask for extension because one investigation always leads to another and the logistics of getting access to relevant documents or witnesses can be a nightmare.
Babu Soli…Where is your source of information about the D500,000 earnings of commission members? This commission may not complete its work even in 6 months, due to the magnitude of the financial malpractice that Jammeh was engaged in, but the extension is necessary.
Why are you burying your head in the sand? I am curious to know if you got any explanation for the revelations of massive cash withdrawals and the excessive misuse of the pension fund. How is the commission corrupt by interviewing witnesses to ascertain the truth about these withdrawals and “loans”. Please, help us to see it from your perspective.
There is also the issue of the $500,000 monthly payments directly into Jammeh’s personal accounts from the Gateway funds for 2 years. Mr Muhammed Bazzi is struggling to give a reason for these payments. Do you also have an explanation or you doubt the truthfulness of these revelations? Which is it, Babu Soli?
We are still interested to know where all the money went. Don’t say Yaya gave everything to gold-digger Zeinab? Let the commission be allowed to do their work.
Unfortunate statement from the Minister of Justice; The Commission must be impartial and free of influence. If Mr Bazzi wants to speak frankly and truthfully and by doing so risks his life. Then his request would seem legitimate. The question is who would he fear reprisal from ? and why ? Has he been threatened ? Mr Bazzi should give evidence of risk to the Commission.
Actually, Mr Bazzi has withdrawn his application. He said he was confident that his safety is no longer at risk under the new government.
Mike, can you please educate me on which part of the Justice Minister’s statement is unfortunate? Bazzi knows that his security is not threaten hence the withdrawal of his application for in camera hearing. Furthermore, he knows that if he didn’t tell the commission the truth he will be held accountable for a lot of money. And trust me he would not want tobe in a situation where he has to pay the money Jammeh enjoyed spending. There’s nothing that Bazzi will tell the commission that the people did not already know or suspected. The letter he kept referring to was read today and he didn’t come out smelling roses. Instead it exposed him for the conniving, grovelling and unscrupulous little being he is. Am actually surprised Jammeh didn’t lock him up immediately because he was blackmailing him. Perhaps he got away because Jammeh was sick at the time as stated in his Bazzi’s letter.
There is no legitimacy in Bazzi’s request. Does he honestly believe that his own life is more important than all the lives he has been putting at risk or has coursed to vanished in tin air?
According to today’s Point, Captain Sulayman Jammeh, along 6 other senior officers, have been discharged from the army with effect from 6th October, 2017. People may recall that this is the same officer who showed open defiance at the commission when he cited the full, then official (idiotic) title of Yaya Jammeh, prompting the Chair to ask him who conferred the titles on Yaya Jammeh and what was the meaning of “Babili Mansa”, which (he said) he doesn’t know.
I have earlier expressed the hope that he will be sacked from the army, but though a discharge, with full payment of financial benefits may not be the right course of action in his case, his removal from the army is still welcome. People like him, who still show loyalty to Yaya Jammeh, have no place in the armed forces, with access to weapons and sensitive security information.
Bax, there lots like him in the army, promoted to ranks they are not qualify for and without any meaningful role in the army. Otherwise why would a Captain be an office clerk (not personal assistant) and a major being a farm manager for the president?
Removing these elements from the Armed Forces must be a top priority for the government. Otherwise, the consequences may be dire for us.
I am actually surprised that soldiers are still “managing” Jammeh’s farms. I know the new government is confronted with so many challenging and extremely sensitive issues, but putting an end to the misuse of state resources, should have been achieved within 3 months, especially one as obvious as soldiers working on Jammeh’s farms and other businesses.