By Mamadou Dem
Ramatoulie Sarr, the Secretary to the ‘Janneh’ Commission of enquiry, yesterday told waiting journalists that there would be no sittings at the Commission till further notice. She however did not give any reason (s) as to why the Commission was suspending sittings till further notice. Consequently, she requested the contact details of reporters attached to the Commission, in order to inform them of their resumption.
If readers can recall, the ‘Janneh’ Commission was set up by the president Adama Barrow, to probe into the financial dealings of former president Yaya Jammeh and his close associates and family members. Since its inception in July 2017, several witnesses including former public servants, heads of parastatals, business persons, military personnel, managers from commercial and government Banks, as well as private citizens testified, with startling revelations on how monies were allegedly looted.
The Commission embarked on numerous site visits in the urban areas and the provinces, including the birth place of the former president in Kanilai. During the course of the visits, the Commission discovered that the former president owned a ranch for cattle, dormitories furnished with fascinating furniture, the Sindola Safari Lodge, a fish pond and warehouse filled with farm implements, fertilizer, as well as scrapped caterpillars, to name just a few.
However, on their recent visit to Kanilai, Commission members discovered folios from the Gambia Ports Authority etc., and a bag containing what visibly resembled ‘gold coins’. It was also brought to the attention of the Commission by investigators that his top military aide General Saul Badjie, had eight properties, one of which was being taken care of by Aisha Fatty, who testified before the commission in their last sittings. Fatty claimed at the sitting that she owns the said property situated at Bijilo.
Natalie Gomes-Ceesay, the 253rd witness to testify before the ‘Janneh’ Commission in connection to a property situated at Kololi, said this was transferred to her by the former president.
