By Kebba AF Touray
The Chairman of Alpha Kapital, Mr. Alpha Barry, testified before the National Assembly committee on Thursday, 11th September 2025, detailing the sale of equipment to Mr. Hamidou Jah of Jah Oil Company. His appearance formed part of the ongoing inquiry into the sale and disposal of assets identified by the Janneh Commission as belonging to former President Yahya AJJ Jammeh.
Barry explained that the sales process, which began in July 2019, covered various categories of Jammeh’s assets including construction equipment in Brikama, vehicles, companies, landed properties, rented properties, and shares he and Mr. Mohamed Bazzi held in banks. He told lawmakers that the first phase of disposal commenced shortly after his appointment as receiver in June 2019.
Guided by Counsel Aji Saine Kah, Barry recalled how Mr. Jah approached him. “He came to my office and informed us that he was working with Mr. Bazzi, and they were executing a contract for NAWEC. I guess he was his local partner, and he has heard that Mr. Bazzi has been declared as a closed person of former President Jammeh,” Barry said.
He added that Mr. Jah told him the equipment was critical to completing the project and that continued access was necessary. “With that information, we alerted the office of the Attorney General as to what transpired, and we were asked to go and look at those assets, value them and negotiate. So, we hired an independent consultant, who did the valuation of the equipment. He conducted the valuation and engaged Mr. Jah,” Barry testified.
When asked how he communicated the matter to the Attorney General’s Chambers, Barry replied, “I believe it was through calls and emails.” Kah pressed further, asking if he had spoken to the Attorney General himself. Barry said, “I believe I speak to himself, and he shared the similar view with Mr. Jah.”
Kah then asked whether the Attorney General had authorized the sale of the assets to Mr. Jah. Barry responded, “He asked them to do so, so that the project can proceed, because I believe it was a project for NAWEC and I believe some generators or some infrastructures that would now receive some generators.”
Barry told the committee that to avoid negotiating blindly, they engaged an independent valuer, Mr. Momodou Mambure, to assess the worth of the equipment. “Mr. Mambureh valuation gave a total of D8.9 million for the equipment. We agreed on D7 million,” he said.
Asked why they settled on a lower amount, Barry explained, “That was the best price we could get.”
