By Kebba Jeffang
The brother of the former President Yahya Jammeh, in the person of Ansumana Jammeh admitted to the Commission of Inquiry that he was partially involved in Alahamdullahi Petroleum Company (APAM) as he signed the mining licence of the under-investigation company. But he said he does not know who owns the company.
The Commission presided over by the Chairman Surahatta Semega Janneh is probing into the financial and asset dealings of the ex-president. The lead counsel in the Commission is Amie Bensouda.
Jammeh explained that he held the post of Executive director at Jammeh Foundation for Peace (JFP) before being deployed to Qatar as Ambassador from 2008 to 2014. He said he later served as the managing director of the Alhamdulillahi Petroleum Company (APAM) for 4 months in 2015. He tendered both his APAM appointment and rescinded letters which were admitted as evidence. Jammeh said APAM was engaged in sand mining at Kartong and Brufut.
“Well I will say yes, I am partially involved,” he responded to counsel’s question if he is actually involved in APAM.
He said for the fact that he was asked to sign the licence process of APAM then he is involved. He was shown and confirmed the operational licence that he signed. He said he is not sure if APAM already had an exploration licence in the Upper River Region before he signed the mining licence.
“I was told by Nuha Touray from the Office of the President to go and sign the licence which I did. Then we went to open the bank account at the Guaranty Trust Bank Brusubi. As the Managing Director when we opened the account we started operating but then the documents that were needed for the bank account opening were not completed.
“So we couldn’t have all the documents that were needed until I was removed. But we did open an account and put in and withdrew monies from the account. We were operating from the Standard Charted house, at Traffic Lights as the office was already there,” he testified.
He said his accountant was one Madam Sillah (although he could not remember the first name) but he appointed her. He confirmed that on 28 August 2015 he was the Managing Director of APAM.
“My first transaction of the account was around November 30..Then my balance was ten million two hundred and sixty-eight dalasis. As of the day I was handing over to Tony Ghattas, this was the balance in the account,” he said
Jammeh confirmed that he handed over on the 3rd December 2016. The handing over letter that was signed was admitted in evidence. He was given an appointment letter of Isatou Sallah and he confirmed that Sallah was appointed by him as finance and admin manager of APAM. The letter in question was also admitted.
Regarding who owns APAM, he said “I will say I don’t know who owns IPAM. I was appointed at the Office of the President to run the business but to say that Mr. X owns it, I don’t know. As far as I was concerned I was working for the President.”
Reading from a statement, he confirmed that D600, 000 debit transaction was done to KGI to pay the salaries of the staff of the abattoir.
He said the President owns the Abuko Central Abattoir adding that he has been the one managing the place as MD of APAM. He said he has no idea as to what APAM was mining in the Upper River Region.
