By Kebba AF Touray
Former Secretary to Janneh Commission, Ramatoulie Sarr, returned to the National Assembly on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, for her third appearance before the Special Select Committee on the disposal and sale of assets identified by the commission. Her testimony, led once again by Lead Counsel Lamin M. Dibba, centered on the controversial auction of tractors linked to former President Yahya Jammeh’s assets.
Ms. Sarr told the committee that a total of 145 tractors were sold during the auctions, with another 41 reserved for state use. She detailed that during her tenure, one auction team sold 59 tractors while reserving 25 for the state, making a total of 84. This followed an earlier auction conducted by her predecessor, Alhagie Mamadi Kurang, who oversaw the sale of 43 tractors and one plough.
Mr. Dibba guided her through the breakdown, noting that in the first phase under Mr. Kurang, 43 tractors were sold, raising 10.5 million dalasis. In the second phase, which had two auction teams, one team sold 43 tractors while reserving 16, and the other sold 59 while reserving 25. Together, the second phase accounted for 143 tractors identified, of which 102 were sold.
When pressed on the revenue generated, Ms. Sarr confirmed that the two teams under her watch sold the 102 tractors for a combined 13 million dalasis. This, Mr. Dibba pointed out, contrasted with the higher revenue Mr. Kurang raised—10.5 million dalasis—for just 43 tractors.
She explained the difference by pointing to the condition of the equipment. “What they explained was that some tractors were tampered with and some parts were also missing, and as a result some of them could not attract the price stated by the valuer,” she said.
Mr. Dibba asked if this meant the tractors had been stolen from or tampered with, and Ms. Sarr confirmed that they had. She added that the interference took place after the commission had completed its inventory of the assets.
